Hydrological process is the most essential ecological process in the wetlands. Water level changes can not only affect plant growth, competition, the species composition of community, the relative dominance of species and community evolution, but even influence the structure and functions of the wetland ecosystem. Under the impact of climate changes and human activities, water level changes would be more intensely, and their effects on the plants in the wetlands would be more profoundly and complexly. In this paper, the achievements in the responses of growth, competition and community evolution of plants in the wetlands to the water level changes of the wetlands were summarized, and research suggestions were put forward in future: ①the spatial-temporal effects of water level changes on plants in the wetlands should be strengthened through experimental simulation study; ②responses of competition between species under controlled water level should be highlighted; ③more remote sensing technologies should be applied in the monitoring of the community succession in wetland vegetation; ④the response of individual, population and community of plants in the wetland to water level changes should be integrated organically.