Abstract

The relative proportions of lignin phenols are determined by the phylogenetic origin of plants and allow the formation of various low- and high-molecular-weight products of lignin decomposition in the soil, which are involved in humus formation. A whole spectrum of transition vegetation zones are concentrated in the mountain landscapes. The immediate aim of this work was to study the transformation of lignin structures in the soils of different mountainous ecosystems of Tian-Shan and Caucasus. The determination of the lignin in the plants, and soils involved the alkaline oxidation with copper oxide at 170° C under pressure in a nitrogen environment. The phenolic components of the lignin were separated using a gas-liquid chromatography. The composition of lignin phenols in soils serves as a molecular trace of land vegetation and palaroenviromnents.