The article explores the diversity of lake plants worldwide. By studying data from six continents, researchers found that different groups of plant species respond similarly to their environment within regions. They also discovered that the relationships between plant communities and their environment vary depending on the context. Surprisingly, there were no clear links between the types of plants and their traits or evolutionary history. This suggests that understanding and protecting plant diversity in lakes requires considering the environment at a larger scale and recognizing the complex relationships between plants and their surroundings.