Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
@blancobercial.bsky.social
Eukaryotic Plankton Ecology and Evolution | Associate Professor @biosstation.bsky.social @arizonastateuni.bsky.social | ZoopGroup laboratory | Se Habla Español
https://bios.asu.edu/about/team-members/leocadio-blanco-bercial
https://bios.asu.edu/about/team-members/leocadio-blanco-bercial
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
Amazing internship opportunity for young scientists!
February 5, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Amazing internship opportunity for young scientists!
BIOS SUMMER COURSES ARE HERE!
CORAL REEF ECOLOGY: Functional Ecology of Coral Reefs
June 22 - July 10, 2026 Instructor: Dr. Eric Hochberg
MARINE MOLECULAR ECOLOGY
July 13 - 31, 2026
Instructors: Dr. Brett Jameson, Dr. Sheryl Murdock, Dr. Nicholas Baetge
Check below!!
bios.asu.edu/education/su...
CORAL REEF ECOLOGY: Functional Ecology of Coral Reefs
June 22 - July 10, 2026 Instructor: Dr. Eric Hochberg
MARINE MOLECULAR ECOLOGY
July 13 - 31, 2026
Instructors: Dr. Brett Jameson, Dr. Sheryl Murdock, Dr. Nicholas Baetge
Check below!!
bios.asu.edu/education/su...
Summer Courses
Each summer BIOS offers a suite of courses for both undergraduate and graduate students that capitalize upon the expertise of our faculty.
bios.asu.edu
February 5, 2026 at 12:39 AM
BIOS SUMMER COURSES ARE HERE!
CORAL REEF ECOLOGY: Functional Ecology of Coral Reefs
June 22 - July 10, 2026 Instructor: Dr. Eric Hochberg
MARINE MOLECULAR ECOLOGY
July 13 - 31, 2026
Instructors: Dr. Brett Jameson, Dr. Sheryl Murdock, Dr. Nicholas Baetge
Check below!!
bios.asu.edu/education/su...
CORAL REEF ECOLOGY: Functional Ecology of Coral Reefs
June 22 - July 10, 2026 Instructor: Dr. Eric Hochberg
MARINE MOLECULAR ECOLOGY
July 13 - 31, 2026
Instructors: Dr. Brett Jameson, Dr. Sheryl Murdock, Dr. Nicholas Baetge
Check below!!
bios.asu.edu/education/su...
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
📣 Calling science & engineering undergrads (+ friends & family)! Looking to get paid, hands-on experience in Woods Hole this summer? Apply to the WHOI Summer Student Fellowship! Don't delay—applications are due on February 1! ⏰
📲Get the deets: whoi.edu/summerfellow
📲Get the deets: whoi.edu/summerfellow
January 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM
📣 Calling science & engineering undergrads (+ friends & family)! Looking to get paid, hands-on experience in Woods Hole this summer? Apply to the WHOI Summer Student Fellowship! Don't delay—applications are due on February 1! ⏰
📲Get the deets: whoi.edu/summerfellow
📲Get the deets: whoi.edu/summerfellow
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
Personally, I don't think any amount of additional data is going to change anything.
If a person cannot accept ctenophores sister as the most likely evolutionary history of animals at this point, I doubt they ever will.
Maybe I'm not diplomatic enough about this issue lol.
If a person cannot accept ctenophores sister as the most likely evolutionary history of animals at this point, I doubt they ever will.
Maybe I'm not diplomatic enough about this issue lol.
January 28, 2026 at 3:03 AM
Personally, I don't think any amount of additional data is going to change anything.
If a person cannot accept ctenophores sister as the most likely evolutionary history of animals at this point, I doubt they ever will.
Maybe I'm not diplomatic enough about this issue lol.
If a person cannot accept ctenophores sister as the most likely evolutionary history of animals at this point, I doubt they ever will.
Maybe I'm not diplomatic enough about this issue lol.
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
Our lab has an opening for a fully funded postdoc position! Start date is flexible; ideally summer 2026. Apply by Feb 20th for full consideration. For more about the lab and how to apply:
sites.google.com/uncc.edu/mic...
sites.google.com/uncc.edu/mic...
Luo Lab - Microbial Ecology - join
Lab members will have access to state-of-the art wet lab, and computing, and sequencing resources, including in-house sequencing for both short and long reads (Illumina NextSeq and Nanopore GridION). ...
sites.google.com
January 27, 2026 at 11:33 AM
Our lab has an opening for a fully funded postdoc position! Start date is flexible; ideally summer 2026. Apply by Feb 20th for full consideration. For more about the lab and how to apply:
sites.google.com/uncc.edu/mic...
sites.google.com/uncc.edu/mic...
Ah, those reviews you receive made by chatgpt, that make you search for new reviewers...
January 26, 2026 at 6:31 PM
Ah, those reviews you receive made by chatgpt, that make you search for new reviewers...
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
📢 Scholarship & Grant Opportunities! 🦐
The Crustacean Society is offering fellowships & travel grants for graduate students and early-career researchers in crustacean biology.
📅 Deadline: 31 March 🔗 www.thecrustaceansociety.org/scholarship....
📷 Michael Marmach (CC) #crustaceans
📅 Deadline: 31 March 🔗 www.thecrustaceansociety.org/scholarship....
📷 Michael Marmach (CC) #crustaceans
January 25, 2026 at 10:34 PM
📢 Scholarship & Grant Opportunities! 🦐
The Crustacean Society is offering fellowships & travel grants for graduate students and early-career researchers in crustacean biology.
📅 Deadline: 31 March 🔗 www.thecrustaceansociety.org/scholarship....
📷 Michael Marmach (CC) #crustaceans
📅 Deadline: 31 March 🔗 www.thecrustaceansociety.org/scholarship....
📷 Michael Marmach (CC) #crustaceans
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
The marine conservation group @hifmb.de is looking for a postdoc and a Phd student to study coral genomics and conservation genetics. Join us to develop solutions for coral conservation and dive into the world of early branching metazoans: Deadlines coming up fast. jobs.awi.de/Vacancies/21...
Postdoktorand:in im Bereich Genomik von Korallenpopulationen und Naturschutzgenetik (x/d/w/m) - Bewerbung | Alfred-Wegener-Institut Bewerberportal
Postdoktorand:in im Bereich Genomik von Korallenpopulationen und Naturschutzgenetik (x/d/w/m) - Bewerbung | Alfred-Wegener-Institut Bewerberportal
jobs.awi.de
January 23, 2026 at 7:15 AM
The marine conservation group @hifmb.de is looking for a postdoc and a Phd student to study coral genomics and conservation genetics. Join us to develop solutions for coral conservation and dive into the world of early branching metazoans: Deadlines coming up fast. jobs.awi.de/Vacancies/21...
My student is having fun in the Indian Ocean....
January 22, 2026 at 10:51 AM
My student is having fun in the Indian Ocean....
We need double-blind peer review. Even if that means removing from peer review some data, if that is needed to keep the anonymous nature. One can always add that after provisional acceptance.
A little follow up about this; adding amore eloquent critiques of the poor coverage of the original article by @nature.com: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
January 19, 2026 at 2:03 PM
We need double-blind peer review. Even if that means removing from peer review some data, if that is needed to keep the anonymous nature. One can always add that after provisional acceptance.
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
A new study shows that ocean bacteria are busiest at night. These tiny organisms play a major role in moving carbon through the ocean, and scientists have found they do much of that work during the night shift! 🌒 🦠🔬
@blancobercial.bsky.social
🔗
bios.asu.edu/currents/oce...
@blancobercial.bsky.social
🔗
bios.asu.edu/currents/oce...
Ocean Bacteria Work the Night Shift | BIOS
New study finds nighttime peaks in bacterial activity and carbon cycling in the ocean
bios.asu.edu
January 18, 2026 at 2:31 PM
A new study shows that ocean bacteria are busiest at night. These tiny organisms play a major role in moving carbon through the ocean, and scientists have found they do much of that work during the night shift! 🌒 🦠🔬
@blancobercial.bsky.social
🔗
bios.asu.edu/currents/oce...
@blancobercial.bsky.social
🔗
bios.asu.edu/currents/oce...
Now that I am not solo parenting, it was time to get the first ride of the year! And the first in... 40 days.
I just took it easy, 60km, trying to wake up my legs...
I just took it easy, 60km, trying to wake up my legs...
January 17, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Now that I am not solo parenting, it was time to get the first ride of the year! And the first in... 40 days.
I just took it easy, 60km, trying to wake up my legs...
I just took it easy, 60km, trying to wake up my legs...
Tell me, oh windows, what are you suggesting me with this picture? ❤️💛💜
January 16, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Tell me, oh windows, what are you suggesting me with this picture? ❤️💛💜
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
🌊 Researchers are studying tiny grazers to better model #zooplankton and ocean food webs in a new Ecological Modelling paper with co-author @zoopgrouplady 🦐
📸 @niimichthyidae
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
📸 @niimichthyidae
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
January 15, 2026 at 7:21 PM
🌊 Researchers are studying tiny grazers to better model #zooplankton and ocean food webs in a new Ecological Modelling paper with co-author @zoopgrouplady 🦐
📸 @niimichthyidae
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
📸 @niimichthyidae
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Working on the first drafts of the first manuscripts of my first PhD students these days... Despite the obvious work that it involves, it feels so good!!
January 13, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Working on the first drafts of the first manuscripts of my first PhD students these days... Despite the obvious work that it involves, it feels so good!!
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗕𝗔𝗬 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟵𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗮𝘆. 👀🔽
Key dates:
🎟️ Early registration 29 April
⏳ Full registration 10 June
More info >> www.azti.es/isobay2026/
Key dates:
🎟️ Early registration 29 April
⏳ Full registration 10 June
More info >> www.azti.es/isobay2026/
January 12, 2026 at 9:58 AM
𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗕𝗔𝗬 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟵𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗮𝘆. 👀🔽
Key dates:
🎟️ Early registration 29 April
⏳ Full registration 10 June
More info >> www.azti.es/isobay2026/
Key dates:
🎟️ Early registration 29 April
⏳ Full registration 10 June
More info >> www.azti.es/isobay2026/
About microforests and the hype about them
I often get asked about the Miyawaki method of forest restoration, usually by people who have heard extraordinary claims for it. Morales et al. (2025) have reviewed the evidence and found it to be weak or absent. 🌏🧪🌳🌲 besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Tiny forests, huge claims: The evidence gap behind the Miyawaki method for forest restoration
To scale up restoration effectively, practitioners and policymakers should prioritize methods supported by robust empirical evidence rather than relying on untested claims. Our findings highlight the...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 10, 2026 at 10:41 AM
About microforests and the hype about them
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
Our eLetter github.com/caseywdunn/s... responding to a recent Science paper was just posted. The paper found more genes with consistent support for sponge-sister than ctenophore-sister. We found several technical issues that, when corrected, reverse the conclusions and recover ctenophore-sister.
January 9, 2026 at 11:44 AM
Our eLetter github.com/caseywdunn/s... responding to a recent Science paper was just posted. The paper found more genes with consistent support for sponge-sister than ctenophore-sister. We found several technical issues that, when corrected, reverse the conclusions and recover ctenophore-sister.
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
New paper up on bioRxiv! This is my third and hopefully final paper on rarefaction. It's still better than the other available methods.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Rarefaction is better than robust Aitchison PCA and other compositional data analysis methods at controlling for uneven sequencing effort
Amplicon sequencing typically results in a wide distribution in the number of sequences obtained from each sample. How best to account for this variation has been a persistent problem in the microbial...
www.biorxiv.org
January 7, 2026 at 6:58 PM
New paper up on bioRxiv! This is my third and hopefully final paper on rarefaction. It's still better than the other available methods.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Leocadio Blanco-Bercial
Are you going to ICES/ASC 2026 in Brest, France?
Please consider submitting your abstract to Theme Session K: Integrative approaches for marine biodiversity assessment – From complementary methods to monitoring applications
Abstracts are due February 28th, 2026
@icesmarine.bsky.social
Please consider submitting your abstract to Theme Session K: Integrative approaches for marine biodiversity assessment – From complementary methods to monitoring applications
Abstracts are due February 28th, 2026
@icesmarine.bsky.social
January 7, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Are you going to ICES/ASC 2026 in Brest, France?
Please consider submitting your abstract to Theme Session K: Integrative approaches for marine biodiversity assessment – From complementary methods to monitoring applications
Abstracts are due February 28th, 2026
@icesmarine.bsky.social
Please consider submitting your abstract to Theme Session K: Integrative approaches for marine biodiversity assessment – From complementary methods to monitoring applications
Abstracts are due February 28th, 2026
@icesmarine.bsky.social
Let the game begin!
January 4, 2026 at 12:32 AM
Let the game begin!
Happy New Year!
December 31, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Happy New Year!
Fishing a species to extinction. When market prices (over 1000 eur per kg this year) are profitable even at ridiculous low levels of capture per unit effort, a total ban is the only solution.
elpais.com/gastronomia/...
elpais.com/gastronomia/...
Polémica con las angulas: cocineros que rechazan su consumo y pescaderos que defienden su venta por ser legal
Andoni Luis Aduriz lidera una campaña de Euro-Toques contra la venta de este alevín en peligro de extinción, cada vez más escaso —el País Vasco ha prohibido su captura— y más caro
elpais.com
December 28, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Fishing a species to extinction. When market prices (over 1000 eur per kg this year) are profitable even at ridiculous low levels of capture per unit effort, a total ban is the only solution.
elpais.com/gastronomia/...
elpais.com/gastronomia/...
Our last product of the SCOR WG157 MetaZooGene if out! We run a 10-laboratory intercomparison experiment on for zooplankton metabarcoding. Take home: major patterns hold, but sequencing platform matters, taq matters (a lot), add positive/negative controls...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
MetaZooGene Intercalibration Experiment (MZG‐ICE): Metabarcoding Marine Zooplankton Diversity of the Global Ocean
DNA metabarcoding of zooplankton biodiversity is used increasingly for monitoring global ocean ecosystems, requiring comparable data from different research laboratories and ocean regions. The MetaZo...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 26, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Our last product of the SCOR WG157 MetaZooGene if out! We run a 10-laboratory intercomparison experiment on for zooplankton metabarcoding. Take home: major patterns hold, but sequencing platform matters, taq matters (a lot), add positive/negative controls...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...