France, Jan. 24 -- The treaty, which took effect a week ago, aims to protect biodiversity in international waters and prevent the takeover of marine life, which belongs to everyone.

Among its key concerns are plankton, tiny organisms that drift through the ocean and play a central role in sustaining life on Earth.

The first living organisms to appear on the planet, plankton gave rise to all other forms of life. They play a central role in regulating the Earth's climate by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.

Despite this, most plankton species remain invisible to the naked eye and are still poorly understood.

Over the past decade, scientists have identified nearly 150 billion new plankton genes.

These di...