A recent segment of “CBS This Morning: Saturday” highlighted UCF Pegasus Professor of Biology Linda Walters’ work with oyster reefs, which are vital to healthy waters in Florida.
The segment kicks off with an interview with Walters and CBS anchor Lonnie Quinn at Mosquito Lagoon, which is part of the Indian River Lagoon and a waterway many say is the most biologically diverse estuary on the mainland United States, according to Walters. The biologist is a member of UCF’s Sustainable Coastal Systems faculty cluster and the National Center for Integrated Coastal Research (UCF Coastal).
“Everybody should care about oysters, it’s just that simple,” says Linda Walters in the CBS segment. “They are one of the most important species on this planet for keeping our water clean.”
Since 1943, Mosquito Lagoon has lost 40% of its oyster reefs within the boundaries of the Canaveral National Seashore, according to the CBS report. Here Walters discusses some of the causes of this loss, her team’s restoration efforts and emerging environmental threats to the oyster reefs — as well as how these issues relate to climate change.
UCF graduate student Katherine Harris ’18, who earned a bachelor’s in biology at UCF and is currently pursuing her master’s in biology, also provided insight on evolving threats and solutions — which include an innovative method developed at UCF that involves potato chips — for oyster reef health.
You can watch the “CBS This Morning: Saturday” segment below and learn more about Walters and her work on this faculty page.
