Ecological stoichiometry and strategies of plants belonging different habitats in Kızılırmak Delta

Kızılırmak Delta (Samsun, Türkiye) comprises a fine-scale mosaic of wetlands and saline/halophytic habitats, where strong environmental gradients may influence plant nutrient-use patterns and ecological strategies. Here, we evaluated how leaf stoichiometry (N, P, N:P) and CSR-based strategies vary across contrasting habitats and how these traits relate to measured soil and water chemistry. The dataset comprised 39 observations from nine terrestrial plant taxa sampled in three wetland localities (Balık, Cernek, and Liman lakes) and one saline area dominated by halophytes. Habitat differences were tested using Welch’s t tests; trait–environment relationships were assessed using correlations and redundancy analysis (RDA). Halophyte sites exhibited markedly higher salinity indicators (EC, TDS) and higher soil phosphorus (P) levels. In contrast, wetlands had higher soil pH and higher inorganic N forms (NH₄ and NO₂+NO₃) and total soil N. Leaf N was significantly higher in wetlands. In contrast, leaf P and community-level N:P did not differ significantly between habitats, despite significant differences in soil P. Leaf N declined with increasing TDS and soil P. RDA separated habitats along a salinity–nutrient gradient, with environmental predictors explaining ~19% of the variance in stoichiometric responses. Competitive categories across taxa dominated CSR assignments. Overall, the results indicate that salinity and nutrient form/availability jointly structure habitat differences in plant stoichiometry in Kızılırmak Delta, with nitrogen showing the strongest habitat signal.