INCORPORATION OF NATURAL ALCOHOLS FROM PLANT RESIDUES INTO A HYDROMORPHIC FOREST-PODZOL

The proportion of alcohols in soil lipids was studied in an hydromorphic forest-podzol. The L and F litter layers and the soil A 1 horizon were sampled and analysed for total lipid and total alcohol contents. Total alcohols were separated into four fractions: primary alkanols, secondary alkanols, sterols and triterpenic alcohols. From the L layer to the soil A 1 horizon, all the fractions decreased sharply, except free primary alkanols and sterols. The decomposition of secondary alkanols was virtually complete. New odd-chain primary alkanols were generated and new hopanoid alcohols (triterpenic alcohols), considered as markers of bacterial origin, were detected in the A1 horizon. In the sterol fraction, the same components were observed in all the samples with changes concerning only their relative proportions.