Aquatic　vegetation＇s　important　structuring　function　in　shallow　freshwater　ecosystems　has　been　increasingly　recognized　as　an　important　ecological　restoration　measure　to　rehabilitate　heavily　polluted　water.　Nitrogen　(N)　is　one　of　the　most　important　limiting　elements　in　aquatic　ecosystems,　and　the　growth　of　rooted　aquatic　macrophytes　profoundly　affected　sediment　N　biogeochemistry.　Due　to　variable　requirements　of　N　for　the　different　growth　phases　of　Phragmites　australis,　as　well　as　metabolism　extensity　of　macrophytes　is　changing,　it　is　thereby　unclear　how　the　holistic　growth　period　of　aquatic　macrophytes　affects　sediment　N　cycling　in　eutrophic　lakes.　In　this　study,　combined　intact　sediment　core　microcosm　batch　experiment　and　flume　modelling,　a　120-d　simulation　study　was　conducted　to　investigated　changes　of　total　nitrogen　(TN),　inorganic　nitrogen　and　total　exchangeable　form　of　nitrogen　(TF-N)　in　sediments　surrounding　rhizosphere　of　P.　australis　during　the　whole　growth　of　P.　australis.　The　results　showed　a　priming　effect　of　sediment　N　by　P.　australis　was　observed,　with　the　contents　of　total　inorganic　nitrogen　(TIN)　and　TF-N　in　sediments　gradually　increasing,　while　TN　and　non-exchangeable　form　of　nitrogen　(NTF-N)　declining.　During　the　experiment,　the　exponential-increasing　biomass　of　P.　australis　remarkably　promoted　the　contents　of　ammonium　nitrogen　(NH4+-N)　and　nitrate　nitrogen　(NO3--N),　but　not　for　nitrite　nitrogen　(NO2--N).　Compared　with　the　initial　values　of　TF-N,　on　day　120,　the　contents　of　the　exchangeable　form　(IEF-N),　carbonate　form　(CF-N),　iron-manganese　oxides　form　(IMOF-N)　and　organic　matter-sulfide　form　(OSF-N)　in　surface　sediments　increased　by　1.10,　3.40,　3.60　and　1.40　times.　This　phenomenon　could　be　attributed　to　the　root　metabolisms-driven　redox　condition　and　pH　changes　in　rhizospheric　microsites.　On　day　120,　the　contents　of　NH4+-N　and　NO3--N　in　sediments　dramatically　increased,　of　which　were　9.43　and　2.22　times　in　comparison　with　those　on　day　90,　suggesting　that　massive　TIN　was　released　into　the　sediments　caused　by　senescent　processes　of　litter　from　P.　australis.　In　brief,　to　improve　the　restoration　efficiency　and　long-term　stabilization　of　pollution　control,　it　is　of　more　significance　to　adopt　comprehensive　lake　physico-ecological　engineering　measures　to　manage　the　litters　derived　from　P.　australis.　©　2021　by　Journal　of　Lake　Sciences.