Purpose <p>Clothianidin (CLO), a widely used neonicotinoid insecticide, poses risks of soil contamination such as carbon: nitrogen: phosphorus (C:N:P) stoichiometry and bacterial communities during its degradation-mediated ecological feedbacks. It is important to explore the response of soil C:N:P Stoichiometry, enzyme activities, and CLO degrading bacterial community structure.</p> Methods <p>We applied kinetic model, soil element stoichiometry, fluorescence quantitative PCR and amplicong sequencing on paddy soils with no CLO pollution history in China. We also integrated both 16&#xa0;S rRNA and CYP5037B3 bacteral communities to explore the ecological feedbacks during CLO degradation in paddy soil.</p> Results <p>We found that the soil CLO degradation rates were 64.02%, 62.79%, and 61.37% at concentrations of 10, 30, and 50&#xa0;mg/kg after 30 days, respectively. The CLO addition significantly increased soil C: P ratios by 54.63%, 47.39%, and 36.09%, and N: P ratios by 30.09%, 19.02%, and 28.35%, respectively, within 2&#xa0;h of incubation, while did not exert a significant influence on the C: N ratio in paddy soil. CLO addition transiently altering bacterial β-diversity and boosting Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria abundances. Mantel Test analysis revealed stronger correlations between <i>Micromonospora</i>, <i>Intrasporangium</i>, and environmental factors as organic C and N. The potential degradation gene <i>CYP5037B3</i> indicated shifts in <i>Methylosinus</i> and <i>Sphingomonas</i> abundances, with <i>Methylosinus</i> showing significant correlations with N and P levels.</p> Conclusion <p>Our results suggest that CLO serves as a C and N source, influencing soil C metabolism and N cycling by modifying bacterial community dynamics. The <i>CYP5037B3</i>-harboring bacteria Sphingomonas and Methylosinus would play key roles in CLO degradation through C metabolism and N cycling in paddy soil.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>