Although journal studies are good reference material, the findings don't always apply to planted tanks due to significant differences between glass box and natural environments, Here are some:
(1) Light Level: Although most aquarium plants are shade plants in nature, the levels of shade in nature is brighter than in planted tank. I used a LUX meter to measure light intensity and converted to PAR for the following illustration. A bright shade in my outdoor under tall tree is between 100 to 200 PAR, and in direct sun between 800 to 2000 PAR. I am in Zone 6 temperate region so light intensity in tropical and suptropical regions is expected to be higher. So in between moving sun under forest canopy, cloud cover and thunderstorms, even a few hours direct sunlight and long bright shade in nature has more overhead light intensity than in a high light tank. That said, many Amazon black and white water are murky or tannin stained that there are no submerged plant growth due to low light penetration.
(2) Plant Diversity: Many creeks in nature do not have submerged plants, and if they do, there are only a handful of species, and some have one to two species dominating to the exclusion of others. Survival of the fittest means that those plant species not best fit for the environment will not exist. It's true that no two ponds are the same and this is why certain plant species dominate in one pond, one creek, one habitat, but not others. Mixing many species in our glass boxes from different habitats, regions and climate is unnatural. In fact, growing submerged plants exclusively in a glass box is rare in nature.
(3) CO2: Most aquarium plants in nature are amphibian, living partially above and below water level, and fully submerged only during flooding season. So they can take aerial advantage in nature as Walstad called it. Walstad systems replicate nature closer than EI system. Walstad acknowledged difficulty growing stem plant, and carpet plants in conjunction with other plants, and she attributed the latter to Allelopathy. I think it's just CO2 limitation in this situation as Barr and others can grow carpet plants with other plants with CO2 injection. Although natural waters can have elevated CO2 above atmospheric diffusion, having 30 mg/l dissolved CO2 is rare and having CO2 mist from injection is totally unnatural. This is why high tech tank can grow many stem and carpet plants, but not Walstad.
(4) Nutrient levels: The nutrient levels we see in glass boxes, even in Walstad tanks, are eutrophic, and in EI tanks, extremely eutrophic based on ecological standards. Yet, both EI and Walstad tanks can achieve minimal algae if done right. Apparently, high nutrients alone won't trigger algae, something else do, which is not revealed in ecological studies.
(5) Different concerns: Ecologists are concerned for noxious algae that fouled up natural waters which include, in particular, floating, matting, and blue green algae. Aquarists don't want any algae and particularly BBA, GDA and GSA that grow on plants, glass, driftwood and rock. Ecologists are not concerned for the latter, but see them as indicators of healthy stream. Aquarists want is to grow healthy plants of all species without algae. Ecologists want to get rid of exotic species, and care less about growing them healthy without algae.