2011 Olympus BioScapes winners (special photography)

The 2011 Olympus BioScapes competition brings the beauty of micro-organisms out of the lab. Here is a gallery of our favourite images from the contest, including petite plankton, dinky Drosophila and miniscule mould spores.

Strawberry ovaries (click to enlarge image)

 These fruit-fly ovaries look almost like strawberries hanging from a vine due to the background staining, which has coloured them red. Gunnar Newquist of the University of Nevada, Reno, took seventh place with this image, which highlights the muscular and neural structure of the Drosophila melanogaster reproductive system through fluorescence microscopy.

(Image: Gunnar Newquist)

Hairy wheels (click to enlarge image)

 The fast-moving cilia, or hairs, that give this rotifer – "wheel bearer" – the illusion of rotating wheels are frozen in time in this winning image from the 2011 Olympus BioScapes competition. The cilia on the lobes of the rotifer Floscularia ringens gather food particles from the surrounding water and direct them toward its mouth. Charles Krebs of Issaquah, Washington, used a technique called differential interference contrast microscopy to make this image of the creature sitting in a self-made tube constructed from detritus.
(Image: Charles Krebs)

Art or amoeba? (click to enlarge image)

It's hard to imagine a skeleton that looks as beautiful as the single-celled radiolarian does in this image, which received honourable mention. The picture, created by Christopher Jackson of Bern, Switzerland, captures the mobile amoeba's mineral skeleton through the bright-field imaging technique with extended depth of field. These protozoans are found throughout the ocean and their skeletons cover the ocean floor, making up radiolarian ooze.
(Image: Christopher B. Jackson)

Grass cut (click to enlarge image)

 A cross-section of a marsh grass of the genus Juncus is shown here emitting light naturally in a process called autofluorescence. The chlorophyll on the outside of the leaf can be seen in red in the image, which was shot by Jan Martinek of the Czech Republic. The vascular bundles – structures that transport water and minerals through the plant – are shown in blue. This image also received honourable mention in the competition.
(Image: Jan Martinek)

Fluorescent fungus (click to enlarge image)

 Slime mould is no ordinary mould - it's a fungus that also has animal genes. Although they possess no nervous system, slime moulds have been shown to navigate mazes and communicate with one another. The spores of the slime mould Physarum leucophaeum are seen here in a fluorescent micrograph from Dalibor Matýsek of VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic. His image received honourable mention and shows off the beautiful patterns and structures of this strange creature.
(Image: Dalibor Matýsek)

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Endangered species (Special Photography)

Tarzan's chameleon

Named after the town of Tarzanville in Madagascar where it was discovered in 2009, Tarzan's chameleon is one of the most colourful of the 61,900 species on this year's updated Red List. Calumma tarzan is critically endangered and one of 22 terrestrial reptiles listed as threatened in Madagascar, mainly because tropical forests are being cleared.

(Image: Jörn Köhler)

Coco de Mer (Coconut poachers)

Prized for its supposed aphrodisiac properties, the infamous Seychelles plant  (Lodoicea maldivica) is in even greater danger than before, moving up the list from vulnerable to endangered. IUCN says the plant is under threat from fires and illegal harvesting of its kernels. Despite strict regulations governing collection and sale of its seed, a significant black market exists for its kernals. Globally, a fifth of plants face extinction.

(Image: Jean-Christophe Vie)

Tuna

Five of eight species of tuna are now in the threatened or near-threatened categories, including the endangered Atlantic bluefin (Thunnus thynnus) pictured here. The others in trouble are the southern bluefin, the bigeye, the yellowfin and the albacore. The hope is that the listings will help governments introduce and enforce safeguards to preserve them.

(Image: © OCEANA /Keith Ellenbogen)

Hopping pharmacies

 Amphibians got this name because they are rich in natural, medically useful substances. Now many are endangered, and the 26 newly discovered amphibians added to the Red List this year include the blessed poison frog (Ranitomeya benedicta), discovered 2008 in Peru, imperilled by habitat loss and the international pet trade.

(Image: Jason Brown)

Rhino

From now on, the only place you'll see this subspecies of black rhino from western Africa is in photographs or stuffed in museums. That's because this year, the western black rhino (Diceros bicornis longipipes) is officially extinct, and others are clinging on by a thread. In all, the IUCN says that a quarter of all mammals are at risk of extinction. It's not all bad news though. One of conservation's success stories is (Ceratotherium simum simum), a subspecies of the African southern white rhino, which has soared in number from less than 100 individuals to 20,000 since the end of the 19th century.

(Image: Richard Emslie)
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Special Photography/ Wedding by Gina Hega

 WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY BY GINA HEGA

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Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011/pictures

The winners of the 2011 Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year have been announced. The prize attracts the world's best and culminates in an exhibition at the Natural History Museum, London. From oil-covered birds to death-defying mountain goats, these are our favourites.

Tiptoe Lark

Henrik Lund shot this horned lark against a stark wintry background for graphic effect. The Eremophila alpestris reaches up for seeds to eat.
(Image: Henrik Lund/Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011)

Beavering

It's not bringing a bunch of flowers home – this underwater shot by Louis Marie Préau highlights the cutting and building capacity of the beaver (Castor), and its strong swimming skills.
Beavers are prolific builders and highly adapted to log trees and branches. They use these to build the dams and lodges that provide them protection and easy access to food.
Four to eight members make up a family unit and pairings are monogamous. Beavers ferociously defend their territories, which they mark out with scents.
(Image: Louis Marie Préau/Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011)

Touching Romance

Dmitry Monastyrskiy's macro image shows two yellow sac spiders (Cheiracanthium punctorium) up close atop a plant. A female, after mating, will build a silk tube sac and wrap both herself and her eggs within it.
The spiders are poisonous, although their bites usually result in little more than localised discomfort and pain.
(Image: Dmitry Monastyrskiy/Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011)

A Stack of Suitors

Marcel Gubern caught this self-stacked group of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) busy mating underwater off the coast of the Malaysian state of Sabah, which is on the island of Borneo. The turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and hatching spots and mate in shallow waters.
Here, a single female is courting numerous males. Female sea turtles can store sperm in their oviducts for long periods of time and so can produce numerous offspring by different fathers from a single mating session.
(Image: Marcel Gubern/Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011)

Balancing Act

Photographed in Glacier National Park, Montana, this mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) effortlessly performs a death-defying climb. The goat's diet consists mainly of grass, sedge, lichen, and occasionally leaves and shoots – Here, precariously wedged between the rocks, the goat is reaching out for a tasty lick of rock that can provide mineral nutrients such as sodium, calcium, potassium or sulphate.
Mountain goats are agile and highly adapted for their environment: a cloven hoof offers dexterity and soft, padded soles provide traction and grip.
Positioned on a bridge crossing a nearby gorge, Joel Sartore kept his distance, using a long lens to get the shot without startling the creature.

(Image: Joel Sartore/Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011)

Cold Embrace

Photographed in the French Alps at an altitude of around 2000 metres, these hardy common frogs (Rana temporaria) live across much of Europe, spreading as far north as the Arctic circle. During mating, a male will cling to a female using specially evolved "nuptial" pads on his first fingers. However, these two frogs are both male. The larger size of the one at the front may have confused the other into thinking it was a female.

Females can lay as many as 4000 eggs at a time, which are fertilised by the male as they are released.
(Image: Cyril Ruoso/Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011)

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Special Photography/Sydney Opera House at Night

The Sydney Opera House sails are illuminated on opening night of the 2011 Vivid Sydney Festival on May 27, 2011 in Sydney, Australia

(Photos by Mark Nolan/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Special Photography/ Life in Color: Blue by National Geographic

Galápagos Lagoon

Photograph by Bobby Haas

As startling as a bright-blue eye, a central lagoon peers out from Rocas Baimbridgen in Ecuador's Galápagos Islands. The stark, rocky island teems with life at times—the brackish lagoon waters are favored by flamingos.

Azurite

Photograph by David Boyer

Some of nature's intricate patterns are on display in this magnified view of the mineral azurite. The bright blue mineral was once used to make paints and may still be found in jewelry.

Barracuda School

Photograph by Tim Laman

A thick, swirling school of blackfin barracuda plies the blue waters off Sipadan Island, Malaysia. The fish are formidable predators, but they sometimes gather in groups for protection against sharks higher up on the food chain.

Snowy Grand Canyon

Photograph by Michael Nichols

Though it's better known for shades of red, the Grand Canyon is shrouded in blue as night descends on its foggy, snow-covered walls. The canyon's north rim is typically closed to vehicles in winter.

Blue-Footed Booby

Photograph by Tim Laman

These distinctive webbed feet belong to a blue-footed booby of the Galápagos Islands. The bluer, the better: Courting males show off with a high-stepping strut—and those with brighter feet are more attractive to potential mates.

Frosted Ferns

Photograph by Annie Griffiths Belt

Frost covers the brilliant blue leaves of lush ferns in New Zealand's Fiordland National Park. The park is an isolated wilderness that's home to more than 700 plants found nowhere else in the world.

Garibaldi Glacier

Photograph by Richard Nowitz

The massive bulk of Garibaldi Glacier slowly spills into Garibaldi Fjord in Tierra del Fuego—the archipelago at the southern tip of South America. The aquatic endpoint of such a glacier is known as a terminus.

Underwater Sea Ice

Photograph by Paul Nicklen

Ice, seen from below, covers the surface of the Arctic's Beaufort Sea. The sea is found north of Alaska and Canada.

Arctic Igloo

Photograph by Norbert Rosing

A homey-looking igloo lights up the stark landscape on a cold night in the Canadian Arctic. These temporary shelters were commonly used by indigenous peoples in the frigid North American Arctic

Iranian Mosque

Photograph by Alexandra Avakian

Intricate blue tiles adorn the walls of a large Iranian mosque and mirror a clear sky that beckons the faithful to the sunny courtyard. The mosque's many arches are a prominent feature of Islamic architecture.

Peacock Courtship

Photograph by Anne Keiser

Unveiling the regalia that has captivated humans (and hens) for thousands of years, an Indian peacock displays his colorful train at an Australian reserve. Males may use their feathers to attract harems of several hens.

Iceberg Penguins

Photograph by Ralph Lee Hopkins

A group of chinstrap penguins lines the edge of an iceberg adrift in Antarctic waters. Chinstraps are among the most abundant penguins, and some colonies live on floating icebergs.

Glacier Pool

Photograph by Rich Reid

A blue pool on Root Glacier in Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park reflects the bulk of towering Donoho Peak. The massive ice sheet is a popular excursion in the park.

Blue Waterslide

Photograph by James Stanfield

Holidaymakers take the plunge and enjoy a twisting, turning trip down an Israeli waterslide. The attraction cools tourists who visit the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Whale Shark

Photograph by Brian Skerry

The sweeping color of sea and sky, blue is a common thread in nature, seen in the cerulean of a whale shark (pictured here), the indigo of a stormy night, and the cobalt of a peacock's feathers. Over the centuries, the hue has come to represent calm, cold, mysticism, and sadness.

Yellowstone Wolf

Photograph by Joel Sartore

Bathed in blue light, a gray wolf peers through the misty landscape of Yellowstone National Park in the U.S. West. The animals were successfully reintroduced to the park in the mid-1990s after an absence of nearly seven decades.

Polar Bear in Svalbard

Photograph by Ralph Lee Hopkins

A polar bear leaps off of sea ice near Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic. Strong swimmers, polar bears have slightly webbed paws to aid in paddling.

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