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As part of the CoML, Chile-based researchers found a "microbial mat" off the south-west coast of South America that covered a vast area, equivalent to the size of Greece.

CoML researchers suggested that the total number of marine microbes, based on molecular characterisation, could be in the region of one billion species.

"They play a really critical role in keeping the oceans working," said Paul Snelgrove, leader of CoML's Synthesis Group.