Aiming　at　the　effect　of　aerobic　starvation　environment　on　the　nitrification　and　phosphorus　removal　performance　of　activated　sludge　and　the　variations　of　the　microbial　community　evolution　during　long-term　aerobic　starvation　periods,　an　activated　sludge　with　high　level　removal　(＞99%)　of　ammonium　and　phosphorus　was　used　to　study　the　differences　of　microbial　community　structures　by　Illumina　high-throughput　sequencing　technology　during　3,　7,　14,　and　30　d　aerobic　starvation　periods.　Results　showed　that　the　performance　of　nitrification　and　phosphorus　removal　decreased　with　the　increase　of　the　aerobic　starvation　time,　and　the　change　of　microbial　community　structure　was　more　obvious　with　the　proceeding　of　aerobic　starvation.　During　short-term　(7　d)　aerobic　starvation　period,　the　functional　bacteria　including　nitrifiers　and　phosphorus　removing　bacteria　utilized　the　released　ammonium　from　cell　decay　and　intracellular　storage　polymers　for　cell　maintenance　to　guarantee　the　recovery　of　nitrification　and　phosphorus　removal　performance.　Besides,　higher　activity　resuscitation　rate　of　ammonium　oxidizing　bacteria　(AOB)　than　nitrite　oxidizing　bacteria　(NOB)　contributed　to　the　shift　of　the　nitrification　pathway　from　nitratation　to　nitritation.　Furthermore,　the　abundances　of　functional　bacteria　gradually　decreased　with　the　prolonging　of　aerobic　starvation　time.　The　microbial　community　structures　of　the　activated　sludge　underwent　a　dynamic　change　during　the　30　d　aerobic　starvation　period,　in　which　the　majority　of　the　original　dominant　species　within　the　phylum　Proteobacteria　and　Bacteroidetes　declined　with　a　remarkable　increase　of　Firmicutes　that　could　acclimatize　themselves　to　the　aerobic　starvation　conditions.　©　2019,　Editorial　Board　of　Journal　of　Harbin　Institute　of　Technology.　All　right　reserved.