Two Canadian researchers are among photographers awarded in a global image competition highlighting ecological research.
The 2026 joint BMC Ecology and Evolution and BMC Zoology image competition awarded 11 photos by researchers all over the world and at various stages of their careers. The photos depict animals in their natural environment, scientists and students in the midst of ecological research and other natural scenes.Â
Intertidal education by Liam Brennan, a master’s student and photographer at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) won the competition’s research in action category.Â
A bridge between past and present by Allen (Haolun) Tian, a post-doctoral researcher with Queen’s University and Hangzhou Normal University and Zhejiang University in China won the category titled "protecting our planet."
For researchers, images are a way to document their work — and open a window to science.
“Images like the one I took and the other ones in this competition — they help build public trust. Number one, in the value of obtaining an environmental education, and also in the value of pursuing ecological research,” Brennan said.
Brennan captured Intertidal education while working as a teaching assistant, supervising a group of undergraduate students monitoring coastal fish species in St. Andrews, N.B. Decked out in weighted gear, they dragged a seine net onto the shore and began recording the species they pulled up.Â
“We were out there at night, which helped I think emphasize the moment of curiosity on their faces,” he said. “I was especially grateful to include the full moon in the background, just as a fun artistic touch.”
The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world, up to 16 metres. In the moment, that gave Brennan an extra juggling act to keep the electronics away from salt water.
Brennan previously won the 2025 Images of Research competition at UNB for his photo Tides of Change.
To him, sharing research in action helps show people what scientists do and emphasize the value in ecological studies and findings.
“We can help affect more meaningful change when our research is grounded not just in really solid scientific methods, but also in strong communication strategies.”
Tian’s image, A bridge between past and present, was a composition of 33 drone photos of the Long Sault Parkway, which connects 11 islands in the upper St. Lawrence River. Combining 360 degrees worth of photos grants a fish-eye view of the region.
“The reason I like this type of photo, these little planets, is because it really shows the ecosystem as a whole,” he said. “I feel that can really magnify the impact of science, especially in a field like conservation.”
The chain of islands formed after the area was flooded when the Moses-Saunders Power Dam was built in the 1950s, which devastated fish and plant life. Tian said the photo demonstrates the unintended consequences of human action, including on often-overlooked freshwater ecosystems.