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.

Photo: Christin Säwström/Edith Cowan University/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.

Photo: Ana Carolina Lima​/Univeristy of Aveiro/BMC Ecology Image Competition 2017

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.

Photo: Mailis Huguin/Institut Pasteur de la Guyane/BMC Ecology Image Competition 2017

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.

Photo: Michelle Achlatis/University of Queensland/BMC Ecology Image Competition 2017

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.

Photo: Arnaud Badiane/Macquarie University/BMC Ecology Image Competition 2017

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.

Photo: Mailis Huguin/BMC Ecology Image Competition 2017

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.

Photo: Diogo Sayanda/BMC Ecology Image Competition 2017