In order to elucidate the vertical variation of soil nutrients and the characteristics of soil microbial activities of reed vegetation community in Huixian karst wetland, soil samples at0-80 cm depth were collected to analyze soil nutrient (C, N, P) concentrations, microbial biomass C, N, P (MBC, MBN, MBP) and microbial activity index (i.e.basal respiration (BR), potential respiration (PR), microbial quotient (q_MB) and metabolic quotient (q_CO2)). The correlations among soil nutrients and soil microbial activity indictors were examined. The results showed that: (1) The concentrations of total C (TC), soil organic C (SOC), soil inorganic C (SIC), total N (TN) and organic N (Org-N) decreased with soil depth, while the concentrations of soil available N (AN), ammonium N (NH₄⁺-N), nitrate N (NO₃^--N), total P (TP), available P (AP), organic P (Org-P) and inorganic P (Inorg-P) in subsoil fluctuated. SOC and OrgN played a dominant role in the contents of TC and TN, respectively. Meanwhile, the concentration of Inorg-P was slightly higher than that of Org-P. (2) The MBC, MBN and MBP were much higher in the 0-30 cm soil layer, and also decreased with the soil depth. The MBC, MBN and MBP were positively correlated with the concentrations of SOC, TN and TP, respectively. (3) The soil BR and PR showed a decreasing trend with soil depth. However, with the increase of soil depth, theq_MB decreased after an initial increase. Theq_CO2 decreased in soil profiles, with small fluctuation in middle soil layers. (4) There were positive correlations among soil nutrients and microbial activity indexes. Soil microbial activities are important indicators for reflecting soil quality in the Huixian karst wetland.