BMC Ecology Image Competition 2017 – in pictures

From elephant shrew to Tibetan antelope and the two towers of Antarctica, here are the best wildlife and nature photographs from this year’s competition

Main image: A crab spider devours a bee Photograph: Roberto García-Roa/University of Valencia/BMC Ecology Image Competition 2017

  • Winner: Giant South American turtle (Podocnemis expansa) by Ana Carolina Lima/Univeristy of Aveiro, Portugal

    Also known as the tartaruga-da-amazônia, it is the largest of the side-neck turtles. This picture was taken in one of the most important areas of conservation for this species: the Cantão State Park, in Tocantins, Brazil.
    The Park is located in the Brazilian 'Savanna' or Cerrado, a biodiversity hotspot that is yet poorly known but is thought to be equally or even more biodiverse than the Amazon ecosystem. I was there as part of a research group working in the field to collect data on the status of reptiles and amphibians’ populations for conservation purposes.

  • First runner-up: Two towers by Christin Säwström/Edith Cowan University, Western Australia

    The tranquil and frozen East Antarctic sea ice landscape in the winter months showing off its amazing pink skies and fantastic icebergs.
    During my PhD I spent over a year at Davis station in the Australian Antarctic Territory doing research on two freshwater lakes in the oasis known as the Vestfold Hills. I was lucky to capture these ‘two towers’ and the striking moon on a sea ice trip near the Davis station in June 2004.

  • Second runner-up : Connections by Roberto García-Roa/University of Valencia, Spain

    Conservation cannot be understood without taking into account the interaction among species. The disappearance of one species might affect other connected species (prey, predators). This pictures shows a crab spider attacking a bee.
    Conservation cannot be understood without taking into account the interaction among species. The disappearance of one species might affect other connected species (prey, predators). This pictures shows a crab spider attacking a bee.

  • Behavioral and Physiological Ecology winner: Wakeful by Maïlis Huguin/Institut Pasteur de la Guyane

    Photograph taken in forest in French Guiana. An Ant (Ectatomma sp) on alert defending its territory on a leaf.
    Behavioral and Physiological Ecology winner: Wakeful by Maïlis Huguin/Institut Pasteur de la Guyane Photograph taken in forest in French Guiana. An Ant (Ectatomma sp) on alert defending its territory on a leaf.

  • Community, Population and Macroecology winner: Catchers on a hot tin roof by Trevor Sherwin/University of Auckland, New Zealand

    Early morning oyster catchers assemble on the roof of a disused boat shed on the Otago Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand.
    Community, Population and Macroecology winner: Catchers on a hot tin roof by Trevor Sherwin/University of Auckland, New Zealand Early morning oyster catchers assemble on the roof of a disused boat shed on the Otago Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand

  • Conservation Ecology and Biodiversity Research winner: Tibetan Antelope by Zhigang Jiang/Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

    A male Tibetan antelope vigorously guiding a herd of female which would come to estrus soon at the foot of Kekexili Mountain. Tibetan antelope have a harem mating system, in which a dominant male who defeats other males during rut will have dozens of females during the rutting season. Tibetan antelope are endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Its population has declined from several millions to thousands but is now gradually recovering.
    Since then, populations of Tibetan antelope (Chiru, Pantholops hodgsonii) have been gradually recovering under strict protection. The status of Tibetan antelope was down listed from 'Critically endangered' to 'Valuable' in the 2015 China’s Biodiversity Red List.

  • Landscape Ecology and Ecosystems winner: Las Cañadas del Teide by Harry Seijmonsbergen/University of Amsterdam

    Microhabitat on the north-facing caldera slopes at 2,100m altitude in ‘Las Cañadas del Teide’ on Tenerife island, Spain. Shown here are Canary pine (Pinus canariensis) and the flowering endemic Teide bugloss (Echium wildpretii ), among other plants, such as the rosallilo de cumbre. The unique geological environment and geomorphological development creates a microhabitat perfect for the Canary pine trees and the ‘Tower of Jewels’ or ‘Red bugloss’, a rare species.
    The micro-habitat is formed by coarse rock fall deposits, piling up at the foot of the >3 million years old basaltic cliffs, creating local scree slopes. Locally, fine-grained sub-horizontal soil patches form behind larger fallen blocks, as the result of fine-scale surface runoff and sediment transport and deposition, which, in combination with mechanical and chemical weathering , release sufficient nutrients from the basaltic parent material to sustain this unique vegetation cover. Signs of forest fire, especially on the pine trees, emphasize the vulnerability and dynamic nature of this ecologically fragile (micro-)ecosystem.

  • Editor’s pick: A ‘well-armed’ coral reef community on Heron reef, Capricornia Cays, Great Barrier Reef by Michelle Achlatis/University of Queensland, Australia

    The underwater equivalent of tropical rainforests, healthy coral reefs teem with life. Often conspicuous, other times a little harder to spot. Like this octopus, that pretended to be a coral. The complex three-dimensional framework that corals build provides a sheltered habitat and ideal camouflage ground many marine species, even though reefs are just specks in our oceans.
    It is hard to imagine however how a bleached or dead reef could host such biodiversity, an alarming thought given the back-to-back global bleaching events of 2016 and 2017. Heron Reef along with other reefs in the southernmost section of the Great Barrier Reef may have escaped the bleaching that hit the warmer northern section this time round, but how well-armed these reefs are against intensifying climate change and other anthropogenic pressures is questionable.

  • Highly commended Behavioral and Physiological Ecology: Parental care by Roberto García-Roa/University of Valencia, Spain

    Several frog species carry their tadpoles to safe places. This is not easy when the wild is a huge world for you. This picture shows a strawberry poison-dart frog (Oophaga pumilio) carrying its tadpole and looking for a safe orchid where it can put its new offspring.
    Several frog species carry their tadpoles to safe places. This is not easy when the wild is a huge world for you. This picture shows a strawberry poison-dart frog (Oophaga pumilio) carrying its tadpole and looking for a safe orchid where it can put its new offspring.

  • Highly commended Conservation Ecology and Biodiversity: Peaceful Koala by Arnaud Badiane/Macquarie University, Sydney

    This picture of a Koala sitting on a branch was taken around Canberra in Australia. Koalas are considered as vulnerable by the IUCN red list of species and are subject to conservation programmes in Australia.
    This picture of a Koala sitting on a branch was taken around Canberra in Australia. Koalas are considered as vulnerable by the IUCN red list of species and are subject to conservation programmes in Australia.

  • Highly commended Community, Population and Macroecology: Periwinkles and boats in the Seychelles by Hannah Bose/University of Edinburgh

    These striped periwinkles (Littoraria coccinea) share their habitat with people on this beach on the island of Praslin, Seychelles. This stretch of coastline is one of the busiest on the island.
    These striped periwinkles (Littoraria coccinea) share their habitat with people on this beach on the island of Praslin, Seychelles. This stretch of coastline is one of the busiest on the island.

  • Highly commended Behavioral and Physiological Ecology: Mating common wall lizards by Arnaud Badiane/Macquarie University, Sydney

    Every year from May to July, it is the mating season for common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis). When a male, after an intense competition against rivals, can finally mate with a female, he bites her on the abdomen to prevent her escape and starts copulating. Females are often left with scars from this powerful bite.
    Every year from May to July, it is the mating season for common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis). When a male, after an intense competition against rivals, can finally mate with a female, he bites her on the abdomen to prevent her escape and starts copulating. Females are often left with scars from this powerful bite.

  • Highly commended Behavioral and Physiological Ecology: Fungus attack By Maïlis Huguin/Institut Pasteur de la Guyane

    Photograph taken in forest in French Guiana. A butterfly parasitised by a cordyceps fungus in tropical primary forest.
    Photograph taken in forest in French Guiana. A butterfly parasitised by a cordyceps fungus in tropical primary forest.

  • Highly commended Landscape Ecology and Ecosystems: Sado River estuary by Diogo Sayanda/University of Lisbon

    This is an aerial photograph of Sado river estuary. Intricate patterns are formed by the water flow and salt marshes in a constant and dynamic conflict.
    This is an aerial photograph of Sado River Estuary. It shows the intricate patterns shaped by the water flow and salt marshes in a constant and dynamic conflict.

  • Highly commended Behavioral and Physiological Ecology: Multitasking dance flies

    (Empididae) by Jeroen Everaars/German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig The male uses only two of its six legs to hold his body and that of the female and her prey. With the other four legs he holds the female which he fertilises. The female, while being held, sucks blood out of a fly to supply her eggs with nutrients. These predatory flies also pollinate flowers. They visit flowers regularly, and you can see pollen on their bodies.
    Will they transfer the pollen to another flower after mating?

  • Highly commended Community, Population and Macroecology: Dolphin school by Diogo Sayanda/University of Lisbon

    This photograph represents a part of a big group of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) in the oceanic waters of Madeira.
    It is difficult to describe the experience of being among these animals in their natural environment, everything is chaotic they swim around you, jump, the females approach you with their calves, it’s an overwhelming amazing experience.

  • Highly commended Behavioral and Physiological Ecology: Breeding terns by David Costantini/Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle

    Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) mate for life. They breed on the ground and both sexes share incubation duties. This photo taken in Svalbard shows that vocal communication between mates is crucial to coordinate parental efforts for successful reproduction. Finding a good place to breed may be hard in human-modified landscapes. These birds found a clever solution: they made their own house on an abandoned shovel.
    Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) mate for life. They breed on the ground and both sexes share incubation duties. This photo taken in Svalbard shows that vocal communication between mates is crucial to coordinate parental efforts for successful reproduction. Finding a good place to breed may be hard in human-modified landscapes. These birds found a clever solution: they made their own house on an abandoned shovel.

  • Highly commended Conservation Ecology and Biodiversity: Candle in the wild by José López Bucio/Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, México

    Epiphytic plants at flowering. An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water or from debris accumulating around it.
    Epiphytic plants at flowering. An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water or from debris accumulating around it.

  • Highly commended Behavioral and Physiological Ecology: You better get the weight right! by Dewald Kleynhans/University of Pretoria, South Africa

    Elephant shrews (Elephantulus myurus) have vastly different personalities, ranging from extremely aggressive to timid and some individuals are quite bold, as was the case for this individual, who was curiously exploring the research station.
    I assisted with research on the behaviour of elephant shrews (Elephantulus myurus) trying to determine how personalities might affect their ecology.
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