In recent years, the altered hydrological regimes and frequent extreme hydrological events in its watershed have significantly affected the stability and biodiversity of the dish-shaped lakes (DSLs) ecosystem in Poyang Lake. This study uses long-term water level records from the Xingzi hydrological station, multi-source remote sensing imagery, and field surveys to assess how altered hydrological regimes and frequent extreme hydrological events influence the coupled hydro-ecological evolution of DSLs under different gate-controlled conditions. The results reveal the following: (1) After 2003, average monthly water levels declined by 0.84 m, shifting prolonged inundation depths from the 10.0 to 14.0 m range into the 5.5 to 9.5 m range. Extreme hydrological events disrupted the hydrological regimes, triggering a clear “collapse–recovery” succession in submerged plants and major shifts in shoal wetland vegetation. (2) Gate-controlled DSLs (GC DSLs) mitigated many of these impacts by reducing the autumnal drawdown in the water area change rate to 0.324 km²/d, curbing the upward expansion of emergent and hygrophytic vegetation during high-water-level years, and stabilizing habitats during low-water-level years, although different management strategies and substrate characteristics may still lead to divergent habitat trajectories. (3) The habitat heterogeneity exhibited by the DSLs’ vegetation communities along the elevation gradient had differential effects on migratory birds, and GC DSLs can offer migratory birds relatively stable resting habitats and food resources during extreme hydrological events. The study recommends that DSL management should adopt a hierarchical dynamic regulation strategy to balance natural hydrological fluctuations with human interventions, thereby strengthening the resilience of DSL wetland habitats to extreme hydrological events.

As typical river-connected wetland lakes in the middle and lower Yangtze River basin, the dish-shaped lakes (DSLs) of Poyang Lake have experienced significant impacts on ecosystem stability and regional biodiversity due to the increasing frequency of extreme hydrological events and altered hydrological regimes in recent decades. This study systematically analyzed the effects of new hydrological regimes and extreme hydrological events on the coupled hydro-ecological evolution of DSLs under different sluice-controlled conditions, utilizing long-term water level data from the Xingzi Station, multi-source remote sensing images, and field survey data. The results revealed that: (1) Post-2003, regional water levels exhibited a significant decline (monthly decrease of 0.84 m), with prolonged water level duration shifting from the 10.0–14.0 m range to lower intervals (6.0–10.0 m). Extreme hydrological events triggered notable succession of beach wetland vegetation and a "collapse-recovery" dynamic in submerged vegetation by altering water levels, inundation extent, and duration. (2) Compared to non-Gate Controlled DSLs (non-GC DSLs), Gate control DSLs (GC DSLs) effectively mitigated ecological impacts from extreme events through water level regulation, prolonging the autumn retreat phase (water area change rate: -0.312 km²/d), suppressing downward expansion of emergent/hygrophytic vegetation along elevation gradients during high-water level years, and stabilizing vegetation habitats in low-water level years. However, regulatory strategies and underlying surface characteristics could drive divergent habitat evolution. (3) Habitat heterogeneity induced by vegetation community reorganization along elevation gradients differentially influenced wintering waterbirds: foraging patterns of wading birds (e.g., Siberian Crane) shifted due to reduced Vallisneria spp. coverage, while goose and duck species feeding on Carex spp. were less affected. GC DSLs provided relatively stable habitats and food resources during extreme hydrological events. The study proposes a tiered dynamic regulation strategy to balance natural hydrological fluctuations with artificial interventions, enhancing the resilience of DSL wetlands against extreme hydrological disturbances.