In a previous study the authors confirmed the ability of PAOs to perform GAO metabolism in short-term experiments. However, what happens when PAOs are exposed to poly-P shortage for an extended period of time? The answer to this question was the aim of this work from a macroscopic and microscopic point of view. Therefore, the poly-P was removed from a PAO enriched SBR and maintained without poly-P during five solid retention time. The PAOs were found to quickly change their metabolism to a clear GAO performance and remained without GAO colonization for the entire experimental period, even though GAO was present (around 5%) at the beginning of the experiment. Unlike the results obtained in the short-term experiments, in this case PAO Type I performed the GAO metabolism at the end of the experimental period. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.