Municipal　wastewater　methanogenesis　is　one　of　the　ways　to　utilize　municipal　wastewater　resources.In　this　study,　a　biofilter　used　to　treat　actual　municipal　wastewater　was　employed　to　investigate　the　methanogenesis　in　a　pilot-scale　reactor.　The　method　of　rapid　start-up,　the　influence　of　temperature　on　the　reactor　performance,　and　the　changes　in　the　microbial　structure　were　investigated　in　the　pilot-scale　study.　The　rapid　start-up　of　the　biofilter　reactor　was　achieved　by　the　combination　of　intermittent　and　continuous　operations.　The　effluent　concentration　of　SCOD　was　60　mg•L-1at　the　stable　operation　stage.　The　biofilter　was　operated　steadily　at　a　temperature　higher　than　14,　the　accumulation　of　volatile　fatty　acids　(VFA)　was　low,　and　the　effluent　concentrations　of　SCOD　and　TCOD　were　69　mg•L-1and　90　mg•L-1,　respectively.　In　addition,　the　metabolism　of　hydrolysis　and　methanogenesis　tended　to　balance　off　under　such　conditions.　However,　the　abundance　of　microorganisms　that　can　hydrolyze　organic　matter　and　produce　methane　decreased.　The　abundance　of　Peptostreptococcaceae　increased　even　the　temperature　was　lower　than　10,　which　typically　increases　VFA　production.　Therefore,　the　concentrations　of　effluent　VFA　and　TCOD　increased,　but　methane　production　decreased.　The　effluent　concentration　of　SCOD　was　relatively　stable.　The　microbial　abundance　and　diversity　were　the　richest　at　19　in　the　reactor.　The　acetolactic　methanogens　were　the　dominant　methanogens　at　low　temperatures.　The　anaerobic　biological　filter　for　the　treatment　of　urban　sewage　starts　quickly　and　can　resist　the　impact　of　continuous　temperature　reduction.　Moreover,　it　does　not　need　backwashing　after　running　for　nine　months,　and　it　is　not　easily　clogged.Therefore,the　functions　of　biological　contact　oxidation　and　filtration　retention　of　the　biological　filter　can　be　more　fully　utilized.　©　2020,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.