India, April 26 -- O ne of the greatest threats to corals worldwide is humans. We damage reefs daily, via bottom trawlers, heightened tourism, pollution; not to mention human-induced rising temperatures. In some parts of the world, we now have competition. Branched pipe coral, also called snowflake coral because it is covered in intricate white patterns, is native to the Indo-West Pacific region, but has spread around the world, via the aquarium trade, souvenir trade, and as a result of hull fouling or the accumulation of marine life on submerged surfaces of ships and boats that then travel to new regions. Snowflake corals are voracious feeders and consume large quantities of zooplankton, competing with slower-growing native species. They a...