Table 4 Mean (\(\overline{x }\)) SOC densities with standard error (± SE) values across different LULC categories and soil core-depths^†

Dense mangrove

23

89.00 ± 9.53^A

23

65.25 ± 8.12^A

18

90.22 ± 14.72^A

10

54.70 ± 17.51

Open mangrove

17

52.01 ± 9.73^B

17

50.91 ± 6.72^AC

17

61.70 ± 11.92^A,B

11

52.10 ± 10.58

Mixed vegetation

4

5.25 ± 0.14^BC

4

4.20 ± 0.44^BC

4

5.77 ± 0.28^B

3

4.51 ± 0.73

Casuarina plantation

8

2.41 ± 0.94^C

1

2.93 ± 0.00^C

NA

NA

NA

NA

Herbaceous vegetation

18

40.16 ± 7.88^BC

16

19.13 ± 5.68^B

10

12.40 ± 3.04^B

5

18.41 ± 7.07

Agriculture

4

8.26 ± 4.72^BC

4

3.29 ± 0.53^BC

1

4.24 ± 0.00^C

NA

NA

Aquaculture

6

66.50 ± 14.43^AB

6

39.43 ± 11.72

4

61.19 ± 30.78^A,B

2

28.37 ± 21.17

Waterbody

5

45.61 ± 8.97

3

23.78 ± 8.18

2

34.56 ± 11.52^A,B

1

4.77 ± 0.00

Bare earth and sand

4

11.53 ± 0.41^BC

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

Multivariate analysis

df

8, 3, 18

LULC category

11.15***

Core-depth

1.52

LULC category × core-depth

0.50