Anup Shah / Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) juvenile male 'Mobangi' aged 5 years resting on a tree buttress, Bai Hokou, Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, Central African Republic. Nove...

George Sanker / Green heron (Butorides virescens) hunting for fish, camouflaged against tree roots, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, March

Jack Dykinga / Woman swimming in Cenote Noh-Moson with Ficus tree roots, ten meters long, reaching toward the blue wate,r Yucatan, Mexico. No release available.

Luis Quinta / Looking up root system and tree trunk in Amazon forest, Rio Negro, Brazil, December 2009.

Konrad Wothe / Strangler Fig Tree (Ficus virens) beside water in rainforest, Lake Eacham NP, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia, October 2010

Konrad Wothe / Looking up the roots of a Strangler / Curtain Fig Tree (Ficus virens) rainforest, Curtain Fig Tree NP, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia, October

Nick Garbutt / Buttress roots of Shorea sp. within lowland rainforest. Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo.

Kirkendall-Spring / Larch trees in autumn colour at Larch Lake in the Chiwaukum Mountain Range of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington, USA, October 2009

Georgette Douwma / Soft coral and other invertebrates growing on mangrove roots (Rhizophora sp.) on the edge of coral reef. Raja Ampat, Indonesia.

Radomir Jakubowski / Alpine / Trailing Azalea (Kalmia procumbens) growing on a scree slope. Rondane National Park, Norway, September. Winner, Fritz Polking Junior Award portfolio, GDT 2011 Competition.

Juergen Freund / Roots of Black mangrove tree (Avicennia germinans) Komodo NP, Indonesia, August 2009.

Angelo Gandolfi / An old Cork Oak (Quercus) growing over a rock. February, Corsica island, France. February 2010

Alex Hyde / Giant millipede {Aphistogoniulus sp} on tree trunk in lowland rainforest. Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Pete Oxford / Buttress roots (Ficus sp.)in rainforest, Cocaya River, eastern Amazon, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Buttress roots, Mapari, Rupununi, Guyana

Chien Lee / Stilt roots are a common feature among tree species which inhabit wet forests, Gunung Mulu National Park, Malaysia

Tim Laman / Wagler's / Temple pit viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri) in lowland rainforest, Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Tim Laman / A rainforest tree with large buttresses. Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo, Indonesia.

Tim Laman / Orangutan researcher, Cheryl Knott, climbing rope into giant canopy tree with stranger fig tree roots growing down its side, Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Tim Laman / Young boy aged 7 (model released) playing / climbing on Strangler fig (Ficus destruens) roots growing, tropical rainforest, Borneo, Malaysia

Jack Dykinga / Roots of Fig trees (Ficus sp) growing in the collapsed Cenote Oxpeejool (sink hole), near Tekax, Yucatan, Mexico. Afternoon light illuminates the elongated cavern on the right. October 2009

Jack Dykinga / Cenote Samula (sink hole) with elongated roots of a Fig tree (Ficus sp) from ground level descending to the subterranian tourquoise coloured water below. Rays of sulight pass through the hole to illum...

Kirkendall-Spring / Larch trees (Larix) in autumn colour at Larch Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Washington, USA, October 2009

Alan Watson / Bamboo (Dendrocalamus sp) near buttress tree, in lowland tropical rainforest, Khao Sok National Park, Surat Thani Province, Thailand

Alan Watson / Buttress roots of tree (Tetrameles nudiflora) in tropical rainforest, Khao Yai National Park, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand

Theo Allofs / Buttress roots of giant trees in tropical rainforest, Tongkoko Reserve, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Wild Wonders of Europe / Ruiz / Tree with roots growing over large moss covered rock, Ceske Svycarsko / Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic, September 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Ruiz / Tree growing over large moss covered rock, Ceske Svycarsko / Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic, September 2008

Mark Bowler / Looking up the stilt roots of a Fig tree (Ficus sp), Botanical Gardens, Entebbe, Uganda, July 2006

Wild Wonders of Europe / López / Moss covered roots of a tree, Moricsala Strict Nature Reserve, Moricsala Island, Lake Usma, Latvia, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Müller / Old European beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) Pollino National Park, Basilicata, Italy, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Wothe / European beech forest (Fagus sylvatica) with large fallen tree, Slanske Vrchy mountains, Eastern Slovakia, Europe, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Wothe / Horse's hoof / Tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius) growing on dead tree, Morske Oko Reserve, Vihorlat Mountains, Western Carpathians, Eastern Slovakia, Europe, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Möllers / View looking up European beech (Fagus sylvatica) tree trunk, Klampenborg Dyrehaven, Denmark, October 2008

Jouan & Rius / Roots of Strangler fig tree, Daintree National Park, Queensland, Australia

Jouan & Rius / Buttress roots of giant tree in rainforest, Tortuguero NP, Costa Rica

Jouan & Rius / Buttress roots of giant tree in rainforest, Tortuguero NP, Costa Rica

Nick Turner / Roots of an ancient Beech tree (Fagus sylvatica), Lineover Wood, Gloucestershire, England

Kim Taylor / Aerial root structure of Weeping Fig tree (Ficus benjamina). Asia

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Red mangrove tree {Rhizophora mangle} with roots exposed at low tide, Boipeba Is, Bahia, Brazil

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Red mangrove tree {Rhizophora mangle} with roots exposed at low tide, Boipeba Is, Bahia, Brazil

Pete Oxford / Buttress roots of Fig tree, Ficus sp. Yasuni NP. Ecuador Amazonia

Norbert Wu / Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) roots create sediment filter to clear water, young trees rise up from salt water, Palau

Tui De Roy / Woka Palm (Livingstonia rotundifolia) and buttress in lowland rainforest understory, Tangkoko-Dua Saudara Nature Reserve, Sulawesi, Indonesia

David Noton / Panoramic view of tree buttress roots in tropical rainforest, Daintree, Queensland, Australia

Pete Oxford / Buttress roots of Ficus tree, Yasuni NP, Amazon rainforest, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Buttress roots of Ficus tree, Yasuni NP, Amazon rainforest, Ecuador, South America

Pete Oxford / Buttress root of fig tree {Ficus sp} in rainforest Yasuni NP, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Buttress root of fig tree {Ficus sp} in rainforest Yasuni NP, Ecuador

Staffan Widstrand / Tree buttress roots - special adaptation for shallow soils in tropical rainforest. Manu NP Peru.

Piotr Naskrecki / Palm tree aerial roots in rainforest, Suriname

Nick Upton / European river otter (Lutra lutra) holt under roots of a fallen tree with exit trail leading to a woodland stream, Somerset, UK, November.

Nick Upton / European river otter (Lutra lutra) holt under roots of a fallen tree with exit trail leading to a woodland stream, Somerset, UK, November.

Ernie Janes / Holly tree seedling (Ilex aquifolium) amongst autumn leaves at base of Beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) Norfolk, November

Anup Shah / Celebes / Black crested macaque (Macaca nigra) juvenile sitting on a tree buttress, Tangkoko National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Anup Shah / Celebes / Black crested macaque (Macaca nigra) mature male sitting on a tree buttress, Tangkoko National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Kerstin Hinze / Beech (Fagus sylvaticus) tree in autumn colors. Rossberg, Swabian alb, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, October.

Philippe Clement / Hen of the Woods fungus (Grifola frondosa) growing from base of tree in autumn forest, Belgium, October

David Pattyn / Hanuman / Northern Plains Grey Langur (Semnopithecus entellus) family resting in roots of Banyan tree. Ranthabore National Park, India, June.

Jabruson / Black and white colobus (Colobus guereza) visiting rainforest clearing. Like many forest species, these primates visit these forest clearings in order to partake of minerals exposed by elephants excav...

Jabruson / 'Ingoka' (Thomandersia sp) leaf shadows on 'Mopambi' tree trunk (Cassipourea sp), lots of rainforest animals eat the leaves, fruit and actual bark. The local triba Ba'Aka use a cold infusion from roo...

Jabruson / Black and white colobus (Colobus guereza) visiting rainforest clearing. Like many forest species, these primates visit these forest clearings in order to partake of minerals exposed by elephants excav...

Jabruson / 'Bodaba' leaf (Grossera macrantha) nestled against Strangler Fig tree root system and a 'Babango' seedling (Diospyros bipindensis or iturensis) Bai Hokou, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, Central African R...

Jabruson / Orchids established on the tree trunk of a 'Mokole' tree, with 'Binju' vines in tree, Ba'Aka tribes make concoction from the tree's bark which is consumed for stomach problems. The young roots are ch...

Jabruson / 'Ngoumou' strangler Fig tree (Ficus sp) wrapped around host tree, which it will eventually kill. The latex (Idjoro) is used for killing birds by local people, hunters roll the latex onto sticks which...

Oriol Alamany / Tree roots penetrating the trunk of another older tree in old-growth forest of Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Anup Shah / Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) juvenile male 'Mobangi' aged 5 years resting on a tree buttress, Bai Hokou, Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, Central African Republic. Nove...

David Pattyn / Northern Plains gray / Hanuman Langur (Semnopithecus entellus) family resting in Banyan tree whilst playful juvenile is swinging at tail of adult, Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan, India

David Pattyn / Northern Plains gray / Hanuman Langur (Semnopithecus entellus) three langurs resting in between the roots of a Banyan tree that is growing on steep mountain side, Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan,...

David Pattyn / Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) resting on fallen tree during snowfall, Lake Kerkini, Greece, February. Winnter of the Bird category, Roots Magazine Nature Photography contest 2013. Commended in...

Will Watson / Roots of Common alder (Alnus glutinosa) tree and dead wood exposed by drought in a glacial kettle hole pond, Herefordshire, England, UK, November

Matthew Maran / Base of large tree covered in snow, Regents Park, London, UK February 2012

Suzi Eszterhas / Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) male sitting on buttress of tree, western Uganda

Wild Wonders of Europe / Möllers / Rusting hand grenades deposited during borderland fights in WWII at the trunk of a Common / European beech (Fagus sylvatica) near the Polish - Slovakia border, Jaraba Skala Nature Reserve, Runina area...

Ernie Janes / Exposed tree roots and eroded coastline, due to rising sea levels, Andaman Sea, Gulf of Thailand, 2011

Sandesh Kadur / Rock / Malabar pit viper (Trimeresurus malabaricus) perfectly camouflaged in roots of a streamside tree, Western Ghats, Southern India

Konrad Wothe / Buttress roots in rainforest, Daintree National Park, North Queensland, Australia

Kevin Schafer / Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) stilt roots, Los Haitises National Park, Dominican Republic

Bernard Castelein / Southern plains grey langur ( Semnopithecus entellus / Presbytis entellus) group sitting in Banyan tree, Sawai Modhopur, Rajasthan India

Scott Leslie / Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) growing on boulder, Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia, Canada

Luis Quinta / Looking up root system and tree trunk in Amazon forest, Rio Negro, Brazil, January 2009.

Luis Quinta / Tree roots in Amazon forest, Rio Negro, Brazil, December 2009.

Oriol Alamany / Old Southern coihue beech (Nothofagus dombeyi) under Cuernos del Paine, Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile

Konrad Wothe / Strangler Fig Tree (Ficus virens) beside water in rainforest, Lake Eacham NP, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia, October 2010

Christian Ziegler / Fig (Ficus sp) root pattern on host tree, Barro Colorado Island, Panama

Christian Ziegler / Cecropia (Cecropia sp) stilt roots, Barro Colorado Island, Panama

Christian Ziegler / Roots along forest floor to get nutrients released by decaying litter rather than underground, Barro Colorado Island, Panama

Nick Garbutt / Buttress roots of Shorea sp. within lowland rainforest. Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo.

Kerstin Hinze / Large base of old Beech tree (Fagus sylvatica)Querumer forest, Brunswick, Lower Saxony, Germany, October

Ernie Janes / Moss covered tree roots and rocks in Wistman's woods, Dartmoor NP, Devon, UK, May 2006

Kirkendall-Spring / Exposed tree roots beside Lower Gooseberry Falls along Lake Superior North Shore, Gooseberry Falls State Park, Minnesota, USA, June 2010

Stefan Huwiler / Kapok tree (Ceiba pentandra) buttressed aerial roots. Ecuador, South America.

Stefan Huwiler / Kapok tree (Ceiba pentandra) buttressed aerial roots. Ecuador, South America.

Kevin Schafer / Aerial roots of Curtain fig tree (Ficus virens) Curtain Fig National Park, Yungaburra area, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia, December

Gary K. Smith / Mistletoe (Viscum album) seed deposited by bird on apple tree, showing embryo roots attached to bark. Norfolk, England, April.

Adrian Davies / Bald Cypress tree(Taxodium distichum) 'Knees' Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Florida, USA, January.