Soil samples were collected at different restoration stages in a study area. By using microbial incubation methods the effects of vegetation restoration of degraded karst on soil microbial amount and community functional diversity were studied. The results showed the amount of soil microbes increased with vegetation restoration in an order of arboreal community stage＞shrubby community stage＞herbaceous community stage＞bare land stage. Themetabolic functional diversity of soil microbial community analyses indicated that vegetation restoration tended to result in higher average well color development, substrate richness and functional diversity. Average utilization of specific substrate guilds was highest in arboreal community stage. Arboreal community stage was significantly different from other three recovery stages. In conclusion, vegetation restoration improved the amount of soil microbes and utilization of carbon sources, thus created better soil conditions, which in turn were more conducive to vegetation restoration of degraded karst.