Man-made noise, such as sound from passing ships, has affected the ability of eels to respond to predators.
University of Exeter researchers subjected European eels to a playback of ship noise and found the eels were more stressed and less responsive as a result.
The study showed eels that had been subjected to the ship noise were 50% less likely to respond to a predator ambush, and the eels that did respond had slower reaction times.
The findings, which were published in the journal Global Change Biology, could have implications for the survival of endangered eel populations, and have highlighted the need to look at the impact of marine noise pollution on coastal environments.
Read more at University of Exeter