Summary -ZusammenfassungHumic substances of the Ah horizons of five differently calcareous soils from Greece under different vegetative covers were successively extracted with diethylether, acetone, ethanol and dioxane. Following these extractions. remaining humic substances were extracted with 0,lN NaOH. Humic substances were also directly extracted with 0,lN NaOH. The extracts of the organic solvents were separated by thin layer chromatography (T.L.C.) on silicagel plates, while the NaOH extracts were characterized by elemental and functional group analyses.The T.L.C. revealed that e-acceptors and phenols were present in all extracts, while €-donors and lignines were present only in the dioxane extracts. Lipides were present in the diethylether, dioxane and acetone extracts. Sugars were found only in the acetone extracts and reducing substances in the acetone and dioxane extracts. Some analytical characteristics of the humic substances were associated with the types of vegetative cover and/or soil properties. Humic acids (HA's) extracted with 0.1N NaOH from soil samples previously treated with organic solvents, generally varied in their carbon (C), carboxyl (COOH) and ash contents as compared with those extracted directly.