Nick Garbutt / Aggregation / bloom / swarm of Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) in the clear waters of Loch Na Keal, off the Isle of Mull, north west Scotland, UK, June, Photographed through the surface.

Gavin Hellier / Anakena beach, monolithic giant stone Moai statues of Ahu Nau Nau, four of which have topknots, Isla de Pascua / Easter Island, Rapa Nui, Chile 2008

Denis-Huot / African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) tusks being burnt after confiscation from poachers. Nairobi National Park, Kenya, 1990.

Ingo Arndt / Common Earthball (Scleroderma citrinum) emitting spores, Germany

Ingo Arndt / Common Earthball (Scleroderma citrinum) emitting spores, Germany

Ernie Janes / Garden tools silhouetted in potting shed window. September, UK.

Jack Dykinga / Bark patterns of Aspen tree (Populus tremula) in front of a Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) trunk, Kaibab National Forest, Arizona, USA

Paul D Stewart / Illustration of 'The Entomologist'. Rare copper print with original hand colouring, drawn by George Spratt, printed by George Madely, and sold individually as part of a series through Charles Tilt's F...

Sandra Bartocha / European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) woodland in the mist, Serrahn, Muritz National Park, Germany, World Natural Heritage Site, November

Sandra Bartocha / European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest, Naturpark Feldberger Seenlandschaft / Feldberger lake district nature park, Germany, November

Sandra Bartocha / Sea shells in sand, North sea, Germany, September

Sandra Bartocha / Ghost wood - European Beech (Fagus sylvatica), woodland Nienhagen, Germany, April

Sandra Bartocha / Common Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) in Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, March

Sandra Bartocha / Forest view of trunks of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Downy European white birch (Betula pubescens) and European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) trees, Muritz National Park, Germany, November

Andy Rouse / 2020VISION / Little Owl (Athene noctua) taking flight from a post. Wales, UK, June. Did you know? Owls are far sighted - so can't see objects close to their faces clearly.

Alex Hyde / Various rockpool animals and seaweeds, photographed on a white background. Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK, March. Digital composite.

Alex Hyde / Various pollen grains from several species of UK plant. False coloured scanning electron micrograph. Digital composite.

Konstantin Mikhailov / Western red cedar tree (Thuja plicata) trunks with moss and fungi, inland temperate rainforest of Olympic National Park, Washington, USA, Western North America, January.

Sue Flood / Bamboo forest, Shikoku Mura open air museum, Takamatsu, Shikoku Island, Japan, May

David Kjaer / Flock of Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) gathering before landing at winter roost, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, UK, January

Nick Turner / Hand picked heritage apples, Discovery, in a basket, Stroud Farmers Market, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, August 2011.

Nick Turner / Goose eggs in boxes on a blue checked tablecloth, Cirencester Farmers Market, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK, July 2011.

Nick Turner / Close up of disposable batteries at a recycling centre, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, February 2008.

Alex Mustard / Banded jawfish (Opistognathus macrognathus) male incubating eggs in mouth, which are at a late stage of development and will soon be ready for release. West Palm Beach, Gulf Stream, West Atlantic Ocea...

Konstantin Mikhailov / Tents in Wonder Lake Camp, in upland forest tundra, Denali National Park. Alaska, USA, September 2009

Laurie Campbell / Mountain pansy (Viola lutea) flowers, Strathspey, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, June

Colin Varndell / Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) trunks, Arne, Dorset, UK, Sptember

Kerstin Hinze / Tulips (Tulipa) 'Synaeda Orange', cultivated, Schwerin, Germany

Philippe Clement / Common / Edible cockle (Cerastoderma / Cardium edule) shells on beach, Belgium

Doc White / Steam from underwater volcanic activity. Socorro Island, Baja Mexico.

Alex Hyde / Lobster pots on harbourside at night, Tobermory harbour, Isle of Mull, Scotland.

Chadden Hunter / Frozen Planet team, training on snow mobiles, Svalbard. Taken on location for BBC Frozen Planet series, 2008

Juan Carlos Munoz / Jersey tiger moth (Euplagia quadripunctaria) large numbers resting on the trunk of Sweetgum trees (Liquidambar orientalis) some with wings open in flight, in the Petaloudes Valley, Rhodes island, Gree...

Konrad Wothe / Fan Palms (Licuala ramsayi) in rainforest, Daintree National Park, North Queensland, Australia, October

Nick Garbutt / Large aerial pitchers of natural hybrid Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes stenophylla x Nepenthes veitchi). Montane mossy heath forest or 'kerangas', southern plateau, Maliau Basin, Sabah's 'Lost World', Borne...

Nick Garbutt / Unravelling Fern fronds (Unknown species). Near Nepenthes Field Camp, mid-altitude montane forest. Centre of Maliau Basin, Sabah's 'Lost World', Borneo.

Christophe Courteau / Rusty barrels at the historical site of Virgohamna where, in 1897, the hydrogen balloon 'Omen' (the Eagle) sailed northward in a failed attempt to reach the north pole with 3 Swedish ballooners led by...

Ernie Janes / Three fishing boats wrecked on the coast in winter storms, Pembrokeshire, UK,

Kirkendall-Spring / Rows of pine trees in Pine forest plantation along Highway 203, Applin County, Georgia, USA, November 2008

Kirkendall-Spring / Rows of pine trees in Pine forest plantation along Highway 203, Applin County, Georgia, USA, November 2008

Sandesh Kadur / Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) roosting on electric lines along Highway 77, Brownsville, Texas, USA. March

Ernie Janes / Pumpkins (Cucurbita sp) ready for Harvest, Norfolk, UK, October

Grzegorz Lesniewski / Pine (Pinus silvestris) forest lit by dawn light. Masuria, Poland, May.

Rob Tilley / Aphelandra (Acanthus sp) flowering. Oahu, Hawaii, February.

Loic Poidevin / Truck / van crossing Karoum salt lake in the Danakil depression, northern Ethiopia, February 2002

Ernie Janes / Wind turbines in offshore windfarm off Great Yarmouth, beach, Norfolk, UK

Piotr Naskrecki / Cross Frog (Oreophryne sp) male protecting his clutch of eggs, Papua New Guinea

Piotr Naskrecki / Cross Frog (Oreophryne sp) male from a newly discovered species protecting his clutch of eggs, Papua New Guinea

Ernie Janes / Garden basket full of organic home grown vegatables from vegetable garden, Norfolk, UK

Jeff Rotman / Irula Snake Tribe member holding vials of snake anti-venom for Viper, Krait and Cobra bites. Southern India.

Doug Perrine / Swarm / aggregation of venomous Moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) Port Fidalgo, Prince William Sound, USA, July

Ernie Janes / Silhouette of gardening tools, UK

Ernie Janes / Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) flowers, UK

Ernie Janes / Hedge sparrow / Dunnock (Prunella modularis) nest with three eggs, nest exposed in hedge by summer hedge cutting, UK

Bence Mate / Leaf cutter ants (Atta sp) female worker ants carry pieces of fern leaves to nest, reflected in water, Costa Rica, December. Winner, Eric Hosking award, 2011 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competit...

David Maitland / Long-headed Poppy (Papaver dubium) flowers and seedheads against sky, growing on wasteland next to car-park, Calne, Wiltshire, UK, June. SPECIALLY COMMENDED, In Praise of Plants category, WILDLIFE PH...

Sandra Bartocha / Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) on lake shore in hazy sunset light. Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg, Western Pomerania, Germany. Winner, In Praise of Plants category, WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR COMP...

Ernie Janes / Large crop of Carrots growing in field with stack of round straw bales, Norfolk, UK, November

Philippe Clement / Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) footprints in snow. Belgium, December 2010.

Philippe Clement / Colourful water-smoothed pebbles on shingle beach. Normandy, France, October 2010.

Bernard Castelein / Cotton Grass (Eriophorum vaginatum) growing in water. Goldenstater Moor, Niedersachsen, Germany.

Juergen Freund / A barge full of logs. Illegal timber is brought into Sarawak from Kalimantan by both land and sea. Illegal logging in protected areas involves a complex network of people from all walks of life. The i...

Steve Nicholls / Wind turbines of a wind farm off the coast of The Wash with mudflats in the foreground, Snettisham, North Norfolk, UK, November 2010

Juergen Freund / Newly harvested cultured Golden South Sea pearls of Oyster (Pinctada maxima) displayed, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Newly harvested cultured Golden South Sea pearls of Oyster (Pinctada maxima) displayed in hand, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Gorgonian fan coral with crinoids / featherstars, Kimbe Bay, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea

Juergen Freund / Red and green Chillis for sale at the vegetable market in Dili, East Timor, August 2010

Inaki Relanzon / Poet's Daffodil (Narcissus poeticus). Montseny Nature Reserve, Barcelona province, Catalonia, Spain, May.

Inaki Relanzon / "The Lovers" Baobabs (Adansonia grandidieri). Near Morondava, Madagascar, Africa, September 2010.

Inaki Relanzon / Limestone formations under a heavy sky. Torcal de Antequera Nature Reserve, Malaga, Spain, November 2009.

Andy Rouse / Harvested potatoes in Virunga Volcanoes National Park with agricultural land behind and forest beyond where the mountain gorillas live, Rwanda, April 2010. Encroachment of the human population on habi...

Juergen Freund / Very old human skulls on a ledge in the karst limestone walls of a Raja Ampat island. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / Detail of a soft coral (Dendronephthya sp). Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / True clownfish / Clown anemonefish (Amphiprion percula) tending its eggs. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, newly cleaned Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) hanging in nets from rafts waiting to be relocated to open sea, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / A small Necklace sea star (Fromia monilis) on larger Blue sea star (Linckia laevigata) Sipadan, Malaysia

Alex Mustard / A batch of Leafy Seadragon (Phycodurus eques) eggs on the tail of a male. Wool Bay Jetty, Edithburgh, Yorke Peninsular, South Australia, November.

Mark Taylor / Cave hand paintings, dated to around 550 BC. Cueva de las Manos, Argentina, March 2010.

Edwin Giesbers / Legs of a White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) on ice. The Netherlands, January.

Sergey Gorshkov / Salmon (Salmonidae) eggs falling to lake bottom, Lake Kuril, Kamchatka, Far East Russia, July

Inaki Relanzon / Star trails above Baobab trees (Adansonia za) at night, Zombitse National Park, Madagascar, June 2010

Tim Laman / Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus minor) male displays to a female who has entered his bower. This bower is decorated with all natural objects. Rainforest of the Atherton Tablelands, Queensl...

Pete Oxford / Beach trash, Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Orsolya Haarberg / Wind turbines for renewable energy, Masoy, Finnmark, Norway, July 2006

Orsolya Haarberg / Winter landscape with snow-covered trees in forest, Riisitunturi National Park, Lapland, Finland, February 2007

Orsolya Haarberg / Hay meadow, Danube-Drava National Park, Hungary.

Orsolya Haarberg / Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) flowers, Szatmar-Bereg, Hungary.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Catch of lobsters being unloaded in the fishing village of Kalk Bay, False Bay, South Africa

Pete Oxford / Beach trash, Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Konstantin Mikhailov / Alpine meadows with Caucasian scabious (Scabiosa caucasica) in Bezengi gorge, July, 3000m. W-C Caucasus, Kabardino-Balkarskiy nature reserve, Russia

Alex Mustard / A young California sealion (Zalophus californianus) playing with a starfish, inside an underwater cave. The pups will pick up a variety of objects (such as starfish, lumps of coral, shells and feather...

Alex Mustard / A young California sealion (Zalophus californianus) playing with a starfish, inside an underwater cave. The pups will pick up a variety of objects (such as starfish, lumps of coral, shells and feather...

Colin Varndell / Beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) in West Woods, Wiltshire, UK, November 2010

Ernie Janes / Collecting free-range organic Chicken eggs (Gallus gallus domesticus) UK, September 2005

Thomas Marent / Fluorescent Fungus (Mycena illuminans) mushrooms glowing at night, Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo, Indonesia

Oriol Alamany / Lenga forest (Nothofagus pumilio) in Ascensio river valley on the W Trek, Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile, January 2006