Abstract: Mangrove wetlands are critical ecosystems in tropical and subtropical coastal zones. Investigating the distribution characteristics and driving mechanisms of soil nitrogen components under different restoration methods is essential for assessing the process and functional enhancement of wetland ecological restoration. In this study, natural mangroves and three typical restoration areas (pond-to-wetland restoration, near-natural restoration, and mudflat afforestation) were selected in the Hainan Dongzhaigang National Nature Reserve, and soil total nitrogen (TN), ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N) contents, as well as key physicochemical properties, were determined through field sampling and laboratory analysis. The results showed that soil TN contents in natural mangroves, near-natural restoration area, mudflat afforestation area, and pond-to-wetland restoration area were 2.33 g/kg, 1.53 g/kg, 0.79 g/kg, and 0.55 g/kg, respectively. NH₄⁺-N content was highest in the near-natural restoration area (27.05 mg/kg) and lowest in the mudflat afforestation area (11.87 mg/kg). No significant difference in NO₃⁻-N content was observed among different restoration methods. In terms of vertical distribution, TN content in the pond-to-wetland restoration area showed an initial increase followed by a decrease, while TN contents in the near-natural restoration area and mudflat afforestation area decreased with soil depth. NH₄⁺-N and NO₃⁻-N contents mostly fluctuated across soil profiles. Multiple regression analysis indicated that variations in soil TN and NH₄⁺-N in natural mangroves and near-natural restoration area were mainly influenced by total organic carbon (TOC), water content (WS), and bulk density (BD), with high model explanatory power (R²=0.885-0.997). In pond-to-wetland restoration and mudflat afforestation areas, only some nitrogen components entered the regression models, regulated by electrical conductivity (EC) and pH, respectively, with relatively low explanatory power (R²=0.331-0.810). Different restoration methods significantly affected soil nitrogen distribution by altering key environmental factors such as TOC, WS, BD, EC, and pH. Natural mangroves had the highest soil nitrogen storage, and near-natural restoration was favorable for TN accumulation, while nitrogen cycling in pond-to-wetland restoration and mudflat afforestation areas remained unstable, possibly due to factors such as restoration duration and vegetation coverage.