Soil is one of the most biodiverse habitats on earth, with one recent analysis suggesting that soil may be home to nearly 60% of all species found on Earth. Interest in maintaining healthy, diverse soils has grown in recent years, driven by several factors including improving agricultural productivity, increasing soil carbon stores, and restoring degraded lands. Indigenous peoples and farmers hold a wealth of knowledge on soil biota and soil biological processes, gained through managing and caring for landscapes over millennia. However, this deep knowledge has been relatively underexplored in research. This presentation presents a systematic review of the global trends in the published literature on the ethnoecology of soils, incorporating local and Indigenous knowledges of soil biology and ecology. The field has evolved from ‘cataloguing’ local knowledge of soil biological indicators and attempting to align local knowledge with scientific data, towards research co-design and a deeper appreciation of the rich local knowledge developed over long periods of time through daily interaction with soils, ecosystems, soil fauna, crops and livestock. Several case studies from around the world are used to illustrate key aspects of soil ethnoecology, and to suggest areas for future co-development of research in the field. The results of the synthesis presented here offer insights for landscape stewardship and care, ecosystem restoration, conservation, agricultural extension and education, land use policy and future research on sustainable agriculture and soil health.