Soil organic carbon has been regarded as one of the most important pools that retain CO 2, and a binding agent influencing soil structure formation and stability. This paper reviews latest researches on soil structure hierarchy and different soil organic carbon pools contributing to soil structure formation and stability, mechanisms of soil structure hierarchy and stability being affected by the quantity and quality of soil active organic carbon pools, such as particulate organic matter and dissolved organic matter, and effects of hydrophobic organic matter on soil structure stability and soil properties. In the end, the authors propose researches in future to elucidate the relationship between soil organic carbon pools and soil structure stability under different land uses and soil managements; to quantify the formation processes of soil organic carbon pools and soil structure hierarchy; to investigate the relationship between soil organic carbon pools, soil structure stability and soil resiliency; to clarify effect of the quality of soil organic carbon on water infiltration and to consummate the models of soil organic carbon and water recycling.