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.

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

Adrian Davies / Insect hotel / Artificial nest holes and shelter for insects and invertebrates, in garden, England, UK, August 2010

Alex Hyde / Panther Chameleon {Furcifer pardalis} close-up of skin, green colouration. Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Boabab trees {Adansonia grandidieri} silhouetted at sunset. Morondava, Madagascar, October 2009

Alex Hyde / Close-up of the extendable silk net of the Ogre faced / Net-casting spider {Deinopis sp}, Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Boabab trees {Adansonia grandidieri} in evening light. Morondava, Madagascar. Digital Composite Panorama.

Guy Edwardes / Beads of water trapped on vibrant green moss Landmannalaugar, Southern Iceland, July 2009.

Mary McDonald / Flock of Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) in roosting trees at dusk, Imba Ndutu, Serengeti NP, Tanzania, East Africa.

Nick Garbutt / Ox cart and Grandidier's Baobabs (Adansonia grandidieri) Near Morondava, western Madagascar.

Nick Garbutt / Grandidier's Baobabs (Adansonia grandidieri) at dusk. Near Morondava, western Madagascar. (digitally stitched image)

Sandra Bartocha / Gespensterwald (ghostly forest) - European Beech forest (Fagus sylvatica), Nienhagen, Germany.

Sandra Bartocha / Gespensterwald (ghostly forest) - European Beech forest (Fagus sylvatica) in snow, Nienhagen, Germany. RUNNER-UP: Creative Visions of Nature - Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010

Neil Lucas / Stems of Giant bamboo (Cathariostachys) Rakusai Bamboo Park, Japan

Neil Lucas / Giant bamboo (Cathariostachys) forest, Kyoto, Japan, February 2008

Edwin Giesbers / Air bubbles trapped in ice, the Netherlands

Albert Lleal / Pollen of different species photographed under a microscope, Spain

Ingo Arndt / Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) eggs, fish already visible through egg-shell, Europe

Tim Fitzharris / Fallen autumn colored Aspen leaves on the ground covered in dew droplets, Colorado

Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott / Autumn leaves changing color, Hurley, New York

Gerry Ellis / Cecropia (Cecropia sp) leaf atop lobster claw petals on tropical rainforest floor, Mexico

Gerry Ellis / Fall leaf pattern close-up, eastern hardwood forest, Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania

Gerry Ellis / Fall leaf pattern close up, eastern hardwood forest, Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania

Christian Ziegler / Seed diversity, Barro Colorado Island, Panama

Hiroya Minakuchi / Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Yamanashi, Japan

Christian Ziegler / Fruit collected in the month of August, Lambir Hills National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Sweetleaf (Symplocos sp) leaves have fallen to the ground just before the onset of the monsoon season, Thailand

Thomas Marent / Common Frog (Rana temporaria) egg spawn, Switzerland

Murray Cooper / Kapok (Ceiba sp) thorns on trunk, Ecuador

Ingo Arndt / Amu-Darya Trout (Salmo trutta trutta) eggs, Europe

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) field, Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay, California

Silvia Reiche / Rose (Rosa sp) flower assortment, Hoogeloon, Netherlands

Albert Lleal / Pellitory (Parietaria sp) SEM close-up view of pollen grains at 1050x magnification, a well-recognized and important inhalant allergen in the Mediterranean area

Ingo Arndt / Termite (Isoptera) dropped wings after swarming, Bandiagara, Sahel Desert, Mali, west Africa

Christian Ziegler / European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) leaves showing gradual change of colors in fall, Jasmund National Park, Ruegen, Germany

Patricio Robles Gil / Detail of a large pile of seashells, Laguna San Ignacio, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Baja California, Mexico

Tim Fitzharris / Claret Cup Cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus) detail of flowers in bloom, North America

Tim Fitzharris / Claret Cup Cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus) detail of flowers in bloom, North America

Tim Fitzharris / Agave (Agave sp) plants with pine cones, North America

Gerry Ellis / Woodsorrel (Oxalis sp) and Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) leaf litter, Pacific coast, North America

Tim Fitzharris / Tickseed (Coreopsis sp) flowers blooming in meadow, Myakka River State Park, Florida

Jim Brandenburg / Birch (Betula sp) trees in fall, Minnesota

Jim Brandenburg / Close up of rain speckled rocks, Northwoods, Minnesota

Gerry Ellis / Mass of shed termite wings after the swarm, Kenya

Tim Fitzharris / Oak (Quercus sp), Cottonwood (Populus sp) and Willow (Salix sp) leaves in fall colors

Fred Bavendam / Stony Coral (Lobophyllia sp) colony showing bleaching in all but one of its large polyps, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

Claus Meyer / Everlasting Flower (Eriocaulaceae) detail, Cerrado ecosystem, Brazil

Colin Monteath / Pancake ice, early stage of formation of sea ice, Ross Sea, Antarctica

Colin Monteath / Pancake ice, early stage of formation of sea ice, Ross Sea, Antarctica

Colin Monteath / Aerial view of large ice floes, summer pack ice breaking up, Southern Ocean, east Antarctica

Katherine Feng / Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) assistant director Wei Rong Ping checks the general health of Gongzhu's one day old cub, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Wolong Nature...

Katherine Feng / Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) nine day old infant being bottle-fed by Wei Ming while tourists watch through window at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Wolong Natu...

Katherine Feng / Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) infant being cared for by Hu Hai Ping while tourists watch through window at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Wolong Nature Reserve,...

Gerry Ellis / Worker at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda carrying panda bread made from bamboo, grains, rice and vitamins, Wolong Nature Reserve, China

Tim Fitzharris / False Hellebore (Veratrum sp) with frost, Gothic, Colorado

Tim Fitzharris / Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva ursi) on forest floor in autumn, Yukon Territory, Canada

Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott / Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) and Beech leaves in autumn color, Baxter State Park, Maine

Gerry Ellis / Autumn leaves on forest floor, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Gerry Ellis / Single strand of icicles melting, North America

Katherine Feng / Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) assistant director Wei Rong Ping checks the general health of Gongzhu's one day old cub, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Wolong Nature...

Katherine Feng / Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) assistant director Wei Rong Ping checks the general health of Gongzhu's one day old cub, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Wolong Nature...

Birgitte Wilms / Hard Coral (Euphyllia paraencora) polyps, 60 feet deep, Solomon Islands

Gerry Ellis / Acorn Banksia (Banksia prionotes) among leaves and rocks on the desert floor, Western Australia

Gerry Ellis / Fall leaves on forest floor, eastern hardwood forest, Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania

Tim Fitzharris / Paintbrush (Castilleja sp) and coreopsis meadow, Hill Country, Texas

Tim Fitzharris / California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) flowers and Dwarf Lupines (Lupinus caespitosus), Portal Ridge, California

Jim Brandenburg / Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) feathers

Jim Brandenburg / Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) feathers

Konrad Wothe / Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) eggs camouflaged in ground nest, Europe

Tim Fitzharris / Sand Bluebonnet (Lupinus subcarnosus) and Paintbrush (Castilleja sp) flowers, Hill Country, Texas

Tim Fitzharris / California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) and Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum lanatum) flowers, California

Tim Fitzharris / Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) leaves covered with frost and frozen dew drops, Ontario, Canada

Jim Brandenburg / Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grass blowing in the wind, an important part of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem, South Dakota

Michio Hoshino / Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva ursi) close up, Alaska

Shin Yoshino / Larch (Larix leptolepis) forest, Japan

Shin Yoshino / Autumn leaves entwine a tree, Hukushima, Japan

Tui De Roy / True Fig Shell (Ficus variegata) with heavy fruit growing on trunk, Tangkoko-Dua Saudara Nature Reserve, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Mitsuaki Iwago / Spider web covered with dew, Australia