Aquatic plants in Lake Erhai, China, change their shape and strength in response to pollution and water movement. Some plants get stronger to resist the pollution and waves, while others get weaker. The size and shape of the plants determine how well they can handle the stress. Pollution makes some plants break more easily, while strong waves can damage others. Plants in shallow and deep water have different strengths. Overall, pollution weakens some plants, while strong waves harm others.