The　knowledge　of　the　effect　of　aerobic　starvation　on　the　functional　bacterial　activities　and　community　structures　is　important　for　the　recovery　of　nutrient　removal　in　activated　sludge　system.　Four　aerobic　starvation　processes　(3,　7,　14　and　30　days)　for　nitrifiers　and　polyphosphate　accumulating　organisms　(PAOs)　were　studied.　The　results　showed　that　nitrifiers　could　utilize　the　released　ammonium　for　growth　during　the　first　7　days　of　the　aerobic　starvation,　and　then　gradually　decayed.　In　the　recovery　period,　the　slower　recovery　ability　of　nitrite-oxidizing　bacteria　(NOB)　than　ammonium-oxidizing　bacteria　(AOB)　contributed　to　the　nitrite　accumulation.　Besides,　the　sequential　consumption　of　polyhydroxyalkanoates　(PHA),　glycogen　and　the　utilization　of　polyphosphate　(poly-P)　in　PAOs　provided　the　energy　to　maintain　bacterial　metabolic　activity.　High-throughput　sequencing　analysis　revealed　that　aerobic　starvation　had　substantial　impacts　on　the　succession　of　microbial　community,　and　the　majority　of　original　dominant　species　within　the　phylum　Proteobacteria　and　Bacteroidetes　declined　while　Firmicutes　increased.