Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42739440›Full record

ReviewPlants (Basel, Switzerland)2026

The Responses of Aquatic Plants to Water-Level Fluctuation: A Review.

Ai-Ping Wu, An-Guo Gao, Hui-Wen Li, Jing-Rui Yuan, Gui-Xiang Yuan, Hui Fu, Jie Zhang, Yong Zhang, Song-He Zhang, Yan-Hong Wang and 2 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Plants (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Ai-Ping WuEcology Department, College of Environment and Ecology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.ORCID 0000-0001-7288-3971
An-Guo GaoEcology Department, College of Environment and Ecology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
Hui-Wen LiEcology Department, College of Environment and Ecology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
Jing-Rui YuanEcology Department, College of Environment and Ecology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
Gui-Xiang YuanEcology Department, College of Environment and Ecology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
Hui FuEcology Department, College of Environment and Ecology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
Jie ZhangHunan Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Changsha 410125, China.
Yong ZhangHunan Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Changsha 410125, China.
Song-He ZhangKey Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
Yan-Hong WangSchool of Forestry and Bio-Technology, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Hangzhou 311300, China.
You-Zhi LiEcology Department, College of Environment and Ecology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
Zhen-Rong HuangEcology Department, College of Environment and Ecology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 42530510
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Water-level fluctuation (WLF) is a key factor disturbing aquatic ecosystems, particularly aquatic plants (macrophytes in this review). These organisms are exceptionally sensitive to WLF as it profoundly governs their spatial distribution, productivity, species richness, community composition and successional trajectories. In this review, we synthesized recent advances regarding the impacts of WLF on the growth environment, survival strategies, and the integrated morphological, physiological, and reproductive responses of aquatic macrophytes. While existing research has predominantly focused on flooding-related WLF responses and freshwater macrophytes, the ecological consequences of drawdown and the responses of marine macrophytes remain comparatively underexplored. Despite the adverse alterations in sediment dynamics, light availability, hydrostatic pressure, pollutant concentrations, wind and wave exposure, dissolved oxygen levels and nutrient concentration conditions under WLF, aquatic macrophytes can demonstrate remarkable adaptive plasticity. This resilience was mediated through rapid adjustments in survival strategies, coupled with morphological traits, physiological processes and reproductive modifications. While their adaptive capacities were limited, and varied depending on life-forms, species or the WLF amplitudes, fluctuations in water level often precipitated rapid shifts in dominant species or even community succession over short timeframes. Consequently, while moderate WLF might confer ecological benefits, prolonged or extreme WLF posed substantial threats to aquatic vegetation. Synthesizing these findings, we developed a conceptual model diagram integrating the multifaceted responses of aquatic macrophytes to flooding-induced WLF. Future research should prioritize investigating the ecological consequences of drawdown-induced WLF and the responses of marine macrophytes-areas that remain comparatively underexplored. Furthermore, implementing refined water-level-management regimes could help optimize the good functions and services delivered by aquatic ecosystems.

Indexed as

adaptationaquatic plantsdrawdownfloodingmacrophyteresponsesurvival strategywater-level fluctuationwater-level regulation

Identifiers

PMID42739440
PMCPMC13567422

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.