Alessandro Gruzza (Italy) highlights the beauty and value of cushion plants in the Andean peat wetlands.
Struggling with low oxygen levels, Alessandro used a graduated camera filter to balance the light near the snow-capped volcanic cone of Parinacota in the Andes.
Cushion plants, the predominant flora in this environment, slow water run-off and therefore soil loss. Studies have also shown that they also help to form peat and that they store carbon at a higher rate than almost any other plant found at high elevations.
Known as bofedal, this type of Andean peat wetland is found at very cold and dry altitudes and is dependent on meltwater from glaciers. Rising global temperatures mean that glaciers are diminishing, threatening the survival of these fragile wetlands, as well as the species that depend on them.
Italy
Alessandro was raised in the foothills of Italy's Dolomites and even from an early age appreciated nature. He became a professional photographer in 2013 and in 2018 founded Munay Publishing. In addition to publishing several books, Alessandro has also won many awards in photography competitions and staged multiple exhibitions. His photographs are permanently displayed at the Centrum Jana Pawla II in Krakow, Poland.
Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.
Killing predators comes with big prize money in the USA. Photographer Karine Aigner goes behind the scenes of contests where hunters win and nature loses.
Read article
Nima Sarikhani’s stunning picture of a sleeping polar bear was crowned 2023's People's Choice.
Read articleDiscover this year's shortlisted images and don't forget to vote for your favourite.
Read article