Aerobic anoxygenic photosynthesis bacteria (AAPB) are heterotrophic prokaryotes widely distributed in typical water habitats such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. They can use organic matter in the environment as nutrients to obtain energy for cell growth and metabolism absorb organic matter from environment to maintain cell growth and metabolism but also rely on its own unique chlorophyll to complete the photosynthesis without oxygen production, playing an important role in water material circulation and energy flow. In recent years, more and more AAPB species have been reported one after another. Based on molecular phylogenetic analysis of photosynthetic genes such as the M subgene (pufM) of the photosynthetic reaction center, most AAPB belong to Alpha-, Beta-, and Gamma-proteobacteria. Moreover, the abundance and diversity of AAPB show heterogeneity in spatial and temporal geographic pattern varying with habitats. This article reviews and summarizes the research progress on AAPB's habitats and growth characteristics, abundance and distribution, ecological functions, and environmental drivers. At present, there are few reports on AAPB in reservoir ecosystems. The author proposes to conduct research on AAPB diversity distribution, environmental driving factors and ecological functions in reservoir habitats to enrich the understanding of the ecological structure and metabolic functions of functional microbial populations in aquatic ecosystems.