These striking photos showcase Australia's unique ecology

Australia's unique ecology and environment arguably make it quite the easy place to photograph.

It's why there's a host of spectacular images from the Ecology in Action Photographic Competition, run by the Ecological Society of Australia. It's just announced its winners and finalists for 2016, and there are plenty of visual treats to devour.

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The competition aims to highlight the diversity of the country's ecology, while also celebrating the important work that ecologists do out in the field. Categories include "Out Standing in the Field", which looks at ecologists in action; and "Niches & Hollows", covering adaptive behaviour and biodiversity.

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The category "Beneath Southern Skies" features unique Australian landscapes, while a new category called "When No-one's Watching" celebrates the best of remote camera images. There's also prizes awarded for an overall best photo and portfolio.

But anyway, let's have a looky at the pictures, shall we.

"New Horizons" -- 2nd in the Beneath Southern Skies category. Credit: Nathan Emery "Museum restoration" -- 1st in Out Standing in the Field. Credit: Sue Jaggar. "From deep within" -- 3rd in Niches and Hollows. Credit: Jannico Kelk "Elise Furlan eDNA testing" -- 2nd in Out Standing in the Field. Credit: Charles davis "The ascent" -- finalist in Niches & Hollows. Credit: Charles Davis "Guthega Wombat -- finalist in Niches & Hollows. Credit: Charles Davis "Eucalypt galaxy" -- overall winner. Credit: richard dimon "Spider Walk" -- joint 3rd in Beneath Southern Skies. Credit: judy dunlop "Hitch'in a ride" -- 2nd Niches & Hollows. Credit: Jannico kelk "Antennae of the sinister moth" -- 1st in Niches & Hollows. Credit: Robbi Bishop-taylor "Temporary rock hole refuge in the desert" -- 1st in When No-one's Watching, for remote cameras. Credit: Sheridan Martin. "Karatha Coast River System" -- finalist in Beneath Southern Skies. Credit: Hayley Anderson "Mining, mating, declines and regeneration" -- finalist in Niches & Hollows. Credit: Richard Wylie

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