Abstract: Effects of urbanization on phosphorus cycle and the resultant negative ecoenvironmental effects have received great attention in the research field of resource and environment. Here, we summarized the impacts of various human activities on phosphorus cycle in the process of urbanization and addressed future research directions. We found that phosphorus cycle in urban areas is mainly affected by three factors, including industrialization, socioeconomic features and urban spatial evolution during urbanization. The exploitation and utilization of phosphate resources, changes in human lifestyle, and spatial expansion and evolution of urban landscape patterns are the three most important factors affecting phosphorus cycle in urbanized areas. These factors intertwined in terms of direct and indirect effects can also change the characteristics of land cover and part of hydrological or soil processes, and jointly control urban phosphorus cycle. Therefore, the urban phosphorus problem is a systematic issue related to various factors. Comprehensive fundamental research combined with searching of problem-solving pathways can provide guidance to manage phosphorus resource along with controlling phosphorus pollution under urbanization.

Key words: urbanization, phosphorus cycle, industrialization, socioeconomic feature, urban spatial pattern.