Coral reef stunner captures second prize in UK contest

The shot, taken by Truong Hoai Vu, captures in stunning detail the carpets of coral reefs that rise up during low tide on Yen Islet, around 15 kilometers north of Tuy Hoa, the capital town of Phu Yen.

"Every year, between May and August, the coral of this rich and diverse ecosystem becomes exposed at low tide," notes the RSB caption of Vu’s photo.

Hon Yen is home to beautiful, very fragile coral reefs that have been placed under strict government protection. Since all coral reefs are sensitive and vulnerable natural resources, local authorities advise people against walking on their surfaces, which could deform or kill them, destroying the habitats of many marine species.

This year’s contest received more than 1,600 submissions from amateur photographers around the world.

Fifteen-year-old Roan Jones won Young Photographer of the Year with his photo of "a tire being reclaimed by nature – showing interactions between people and wider world" taken in Somerset, U.K., while Vishwanath Birje claimed Photographer of the Year for his "stunning image of ants feeding off honeydew excreted by a yellow aphid" taken in Thane, India.

The Royal Society of Biology says it "serves as a single unified voice for biology by advising government and influencing policy, advancing education and professional development, supporting our members, and engaging and encouraging public interest in the life sciences."