Starvation　conditions　were　inevitably　encountered　by　biological　wastewater　treatment　systems.　Four　anaerobic　starvation　periods　(5,　10,　16　and　20　days)　were　conducted　to　investigate　the　response　mechanism　of　denitrifying　phosphate-accumulating　organisms　(DPAOs)　in　order　to　dissect　denitrifying　phosphorus　removal　(DPR)　decay　processes.　The　denitrifying　phosphorus　removal　performance　suffered　with　the　decay　rate　of　0.162　±　0.022　d−1　during　20-day　starved　duration.　Metabolic　activity　decay　was　responsible　93.20　±　0.11%　for　the　damaged　DPR　performance,　while　biomass　decay　contributed　to　6.79　±　0.68%.　The　genus　Dechloromonas　affiliated　to　DPAOs　exerted　stronger　survival　adaptability　to　starvation　with　the　abundance　increasing　from　1.98%　to　3.15%,　depended　upon　the　endogenous　consumption　of　intracellular　polymers.　In　view　of　PHA-driven　DPR　mechanism　of　DPAOs,　the　metabolic　activity　was　restricted　by　the　depletion　of　available　PHA.　These　results　revealed　the　poorer　stability　but　preponderant　recovery　of　DPR　system　encountering　with　starvation.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd