The researchers studied the changes in aquatic plants in Lake Futou over the past few decades due to human activities like reclamation and over-fishing. They found that some sensitive species disappeared, while others became more dominant. The coverage of vegetation decreased significantly in the late 1990s but increased again by 2009. Emergent plants increased in coverage, with Nelumbo nucifera becoming dominant in the summer. Submersed and floating-leaved plants declined in coverage. Certain plant associations also changed over time. Overall, human disturbances have led to shifts in the types and coverage of aquatic plants in Lake Futou.