Understanding the effect of different coverage of aquatic plants on the characteristics of the phytoplankton community structure is beneficial for management of lakes and protection of the aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, the effect of aquatic plants coverage on plankton community structure in a shallow macrophytic lake located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River was investigated by dividing the lake into low, median, and high coverage habitats. Furthermore, the characteristics of phytoplankton and zooplankton community structures, and physicochemical indexes of lake water in the three habitats were analyzed. The results showed that an increase in aquatic plant coverage effectively reduced total phosphorus and total nitrogen in water and reduce the risks posed by phytoplankton blooms. Phytoplankton populations fluctuated slightly, and cyanobacteria density decreased in the medium coverage habitat when compared to those in the low coverage habitat. The phytoplankton species and quantity increased, and the lake water stability was enhanced in low coverage habitat when compared to those in the high coverage habitat. Zooplankton density, biodiversity index, and Pielou’s evenness index of the medium coverage habitat were higher than those of the low and high coverage habitats. Our results suggest that to improve the stability of shallow lake water environment, the coverage of aquatic plants should be maintained at 26.7–33.1% based on the physicochemical properties of water bodies and variations in phytoplankton community structure.

了解水生植物不同覆盖度对浮游植物群落结构特征的影响，有利于湖泊管理和水生生态系统保护。在本研究中，通过将湖泊划分为低、中、高覆盖度生境，研究了位于长江中游的浅水大型植物湖泊中水生植物覆盖度对浮游生物群落结构的影响。此外，分析了三个生境的浮游植物和浮游动物群落结构特征以及湖水理化指标。结果表明，水生植物覆盖率的增加有效地降低了水中的总磷和总氮，降低了浮游植物水华带来的风险。浮游植物种群略有波动，与低覆盖度栖息地相比，中等覆盖度栖息地的蓝藻密度降低。与高覆盖生境相比，低覆盖生境浮游植物种类和数量增加，湖水稳定性增强。中覆盖生境的浮游动物密度、生物多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数均高于低覆盖生境和高覆盖生境。我们的研究结果表明，根据水体的理化性质和浮游植物群落结构的变化，为改善浅湖水环境的稳定性，水生植物的覆盖率应保持在26.7-33.1%。与高覆盖生境相比，低覆盖生境浮游植物种类和数量增加，湖水稳定性增强。中覆盖生境的浮游动物密度、生物多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数均高于低覆盖生境和高覆盖生境。我们的研究结果表明，根据水体的理化性质和浮游植物群落结构的变化，为改善浅湖水环境的稳定性，水生植物的覆盖率应保持在26.7-33.1%。与高覆盖生境相比，低覆盖生境浮游植物种类和数量增加，湖水稳定性增强。中覆盖生境的浮游动物密度、生物多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数均高于低覆盖生境和高覆盖生境。我们的研究结果表明，根据水体的理化性质和浮游植物群落结构的变化，为改善浅湖水环境的稳定性，水生植物的覆盖率应保持在26.7-33.1%。中覆盖生境和Pielou的均匀度指数均高于低覆盖生境和高覆盖生境。我们的研究结果表明，根据水体的理化性质和浮游植物群落结构的变化，为改善浅湖水环境的稳定性，水生植物的覆盖率应保持在26.7-33.1%。中覆盖生境和Pielou的均匀度指数均高于低覆盖生境和高覆盖生境。我们的研究结果表明，根据水体的理化性质和浮游植物群落结构的变化，为提高浅湖水环境的稳定性，水生植物的覆盖率应保持在26.7-33.1%。