Table 1.

Correlation (Spearman r coefficient) between the semi-quantitative colony forming unit (CFU) counts of B. pseudomallei (CFU g⁻¹) and soil physico-chemical characteristics at the full soil profile depth (10–290 cm) and the maximum depth that the saturated hydraulic conductivity was measured (10–170 cm).

Physico-chemical parameters	Soil profile depth
	10–290 cm	10–170 cm
pH	− 0.80***	− 0.69*
OM	0.37	0.10
Ca_e	0.63**	0.43
Mg_e	0.73**	0.43
K_e	0.86***	0.95***
Na_e	− 0.42	− 0.30
Sand	− 0.76***	− 0.41
Silt	0.76***	0.49
Clay	0.71**	0.36
BD	− 0.66**	− 0.65*
Poro	0.66**	0.65*
WC	0.66**	0.65*
GPR	0.61*	0.95***
Na	− 0.03	− 0.12
Mg	0.90***	0.94***
Al	0.87***	0.78*
Si	− 0.86***	− 0.76*
S	0.24	0.19
K	0.87***	0.78*
Ca	− 0.78***	− 0.87**
Ti	0.62**	0.45
Mn	0.01	0.04
Fe	0.68**	0.94***
Ks		0.94***

Significance level: ∗∗∗p < 0.001, ∗∗p < 0.01, ∗p < 0.05.

Listed are pH; organic matter content (OM, %); exchangeable calcium (Ca_e, meq 100 g⁻¹); exchangeable magnesium (Mg_e, meq 100 g⁻¹); exchangeable potassium (K_e, meq 100 g⁻¹); exchangeable sodium (Na_e, meq 100 g⁻¹); silt, sand and clay textural fractions (%); bulk density (BD, g cm³); soil porosity (poro, %); volumetric water content (WC, m³ m⁻³); groundwater persistence rate (GPR, %); iron content (Fe, ppm); aluminum content (Al, ppm); manganese content (Mn, ppm); sulfur content (S, ppm); titanium content (Ti, ppm); potassium content (K, ppm); silicium content (Si, ppm); saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks, mm h⁻¹).