18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing from Blanes Bay Microbial Observatory (BBMO) during COVID-19 lockdown

This dataset contains 18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing reads from surface seawater samples (0.2-3 µm) collected at the Blanes Bay Microbial Observatory (BBMO), a long-term coastal monitoring site in the NW Mediterranean Sea. A total of 9 samples were obtained between May and August during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. These were complemented with samples from the same months in previous years (2014–2019). The dataset was generated to investigate potential changes in microbial eukaryotic assemblages during the lockdown period when human activity was reduced.