Aquatic plant diversity in Chenghai Lake changed over 38 years due to environmental disturbances. The richness of aquatic plants was linked to factors like chlorophyll levels and nutrients in the water. The study found that the lake went through different stages of plant succession: first, a peak in species richness occurred from 1980 to 1992 when competition for resources was lower, then diversity declined as habitat conditions changed. This shows that the diversity and growth of aquatic plants can indicate the lake's trophic status, transitioning from mesotrophic to eutrophic.