Investigations into soil nematode ecology mainly focus on the relationship between soil nematode communities and their surrounding environment, both biotic and abiotic. This paper reviews a recent string of publications on soil nematode ecology by scholars in China. Research progress has been made on the distribution, composition, ecological function, diversity and drivers of soil nematode communities, as well as on their relationship with global climate change. Developments in new analysis methods for soil nematode ecology are also reviewed here. The developments in soil nematode ecology in domestic and international studies are compared and analyzed, and then the importance of nationwide monitor network construction is put forward. Future research directions of soil nematode ecology in China are also presented. In conclusion, more studies are needed on soil nematode ecology at a small scale within soil micro-food webs and at a large scale under global climate change, and new related technology and methods should continue to be developed.