About the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences: Through its world-class research on agriculture and food systems, natural resource management, rural economic development and human health, the College provides solutions to Oregon’s most pressing challenges and contributes to a sustainable environment and a prosperous future for Oregonians.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Restoring dry forests in the Pacific Northwest, shaped by frequent low-intensity fire and widely spaced trees, often means thinning dense stands that accumulated after decades of fire suppression. This can make forests healthier and more resilient to wildfire, but it can raise concerns about protecting wildlife that depend on dense tree cover, including the northern spotted owl.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – “Healthy” food labels increased consumer selections of healthier snacks and consumers were willing to pay a premium for such labeled products, according to new research.
In 2024, the FDA updated the definition of the term “healthy” as it relates to how manufacturers can use the word on food packages. The new definition replaced one from 1992 and is consistent with current nutrition science and federal dietary guidance.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – As future shifts in climate lead to more rain and less snow in the western United States, new research finds that water will move faster through a landscape, likely leading to negative impacts on summer water levels and water quality.
The study is especially relevant at this moment because the western United States experienced similar snow drought conditions this past winter, with generally typical precipitation amounts, but less snow because of warmer temperatures.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Researchers spent five years developing an AI-based model to protect freshwater fish worldwide from extinction, with a particular focus on identifying threats to fish before they become endangered.
“People sometimes go in to protect species when it’s already too late,” said Ivan Arismendi, an associate professor in Oregon State University’s Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences. “With our model, decision makers can deploy resources in advance before a species becomes imperiled.”
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Researchers have significantly enhanced an artificial intelligence tool used to rapidly detect bacterial contamination in food by eliminating misclassifications of food debris that looks like bacteria.
Current methods to detect contamination of foods such as leafy greens, meat and cheese, which typically involve cultivating bacteria, often require specialized expertise and are time consuming — taking several days to a week.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A new study shows that interactions between wolves and cougars in Yellowstone National Park are driven by wolves stealing prey killed by cougars and that shifts in cougar diets to smaller prey help them avoid wolf encounters.
The study, published at a time of growing overlap between cougar and wolf habitats in the western United States, found wolves occasionally killed cougars, but cougars did not kill wolves.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – People rated cats as having a more positive emotional state when shown indoors rather than outdoors, even those who believe cats should roam freely outside, a new study found.
The study also found that other contextual factors, such as the color of cats’ coats and a person’s own emotional state, impacted human perception of cat emotion.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A new study reveals that four wild cat species living in the same rainforest habitat in Guatemala reduce competition for food by hunting in different vertical zones, some in trees and others on the ground.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Floating solar panels are emerging as a promising clean energy solution with environmental benefits, but a new study finds those effects vary significantly depending on where the systems are deployed.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Researchers have taken a significant step toward creating a standardized language for describing the aromas of cannabis and hemp.
“Aroma plays a key role in how consumers judge cannabis quality, yet until now there’s been no standardized language to describe it,” said Tom Shellhammer, professor of food science and technology at Oregon State University. “This research lays the groundwork for a shared vocabulary that benefits consumers, retailers and growers.”
