Decomposition experiments of 14C-labelled sickle alfalfa in chao soils of different texture and these soils after removal of CaCO3 were carried out under field and laboratory conditions respectively. The amount of residual 14C in, or 14CO2 evolved from, the soils at intervals after the beginning of decomposition were measured and the distribution of native and labelled C between particle size fractions isolated from these soils was edtermined. Results showed that contents of both labelled (14C) and non-labelled (12C) carbon decreased with increasing particle size. The enrichment factor for 14C was higher than that for 12C in the clay fraction, the reverse being true for the silt enrichment factors. The effect of soil texture on the decomposition of plant material could not be observed in chao soils when the clay content was lower than 270g kg-1, while it became obvious once CaCO3 was removed from these soils. The decomposition rate of plant material in the soil from which the native CaCO3 was removed wa Decomposition experiments of 14C-labeled sickle alfalfa in chao soils of different texture and these soils after removal of CaCO3 were carried out under field and laboratory conditions respectively. The amount of residual 14C in, or 14CO2 evolved from, the soils at intervals after the beginning of decomposition were measured and the distribution of native and labeled C between particle size fractions isolated from these soils was edtermined. Results showed that contents of both labeled (14C) and non-labeled (12C) carbon decreased with increasing particle size. The enrichment factor for 14C was higher than that for 12C in the clay fraction, the reverse being true for the silt enrichment factors. The effect of soil texture on the decomposition of the plant material could not be observed in chao soils when the clay content was lower than 270g kg -1, while it became obvious once CaCO3 was removed from these soils. The decomposition rate of plant material in the soil from the the native Ca CO3 was removed wa