Table 2 Spearman correlation coefficients (r’) obtained between the different variables of microradiography, FTIRM and indentation in: Part 2A: All samples (juvenile and adult bone) with pooled osteonal, interstitial, (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01); Part 2B: Juvenile bone with pooled osteonal and interstitial, (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, BL: borderline 0.05 < p < 0.07); Part 2C: Adult bone with pooled osteonal and interstitial, (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01).

ALL (n = 30)

DMB

Crystallinity

Carbonation

Mineral/Matrix

Mineral Maturity

Collagen maturity

E*

H/E*

Crystallinity

0.375**

—

Carbonation

0.063

0.016

—

Mineral/Matrix

0.594**

0.499**

−0.272*

—

Mineral Maturity

0.153

0.557**

−0.476**

0.467**

—

Collagen maturity

0.522**

0.218

−0.052

0.555**

0.383**

—

E*

0.710**

0.321*

0.374**

0.479**

−0.040

0.348**

—

H/E*

−0.127

−0.057

−0.402**

0.160

0.035

−0.013

−0.257

—

W_plast/W_tot

0.009

−0.021

0.289*

−0.242

−0.019

−0.048

0.121

−0.893**

Juveniles (n = 13)

DMB

Crystallinity

Carbonation

Mineral/Matrix

Mineral Maturity

Collagen maturity

E*

H/E*

Crystallinity

0.326

—

Carbonation

−0.004

−0.439*

—

Mineral/Matrix

0.482*

0.506**

−0.185

—

Mineral Maturity

0.471*

0.747***

−0.362

0.404*

—

Collagen maturity

0.677***

0.343

0.067

0.644***

0.515**

—

E*

0.573**

−0.032

0.554**

0.372^BL

0.092

0.486*

—

H/E*

−0.220

−0.103

−0.261

0.051

−0.273

−0.266

−0.290

W_plast/W_tot

0.082

0.123

0.177

−0.192

0.316

0.136

0.154

−0.861**

Adults (n = 17)

DMB

Crystallinity

Carbonation

Mineral/Matrix

Mineral Maturity

Collagen maturity

E*

H/E*

Crystallinity

0.237

Carbonation

−0.308

−0.664***

Mineral/Matrix

0.561**

0.580***

−0.720***

Mineral Maturity

0.044

0.778***

−0.620***

0.558**

Collagen maturity

0.357*

0.221

−0.166

0.483**

0.297

E*

0.671***

0.280

−0.420*

0.549***

0.133

0.30

—

H/E*

0.100

0.386*

−0.298

0.326

0.171

0.283

0.087

—

W_plast/W_tot

−0.036

−0.434*

0.214

−0.316

−0.191

−0.235

−0.079

−0.923**