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.

Climate modeling shows significant shifts in 21st century Pacific Northwest coastal forest vegetation

A changing climate in the 21st century will significantly alter the coastal forests of the Pacific Northwest, according to modeling by Oregon State University researchers.

Blend of warmer water, chemical exposure influence gene expression across generations in a coastal fish

Warmer water temperatures, combined with low-level exposure to chemicals, influence the expression of genes in the offspring of an abundant North American fish species.

Far-ranging fin whales find year-round residence in Gulf of California

Researchers from Mexico and the United States have concluded that a population of fin whales in the rich Gulf of California ecosystem may live there year-round – an unusual circumstance for a whale species known to migrate across ocean basins.

Slime proves valuable in developing method for counting salmon in Alaska

Scientists have published a novel method for counting Pacific salmon – analyzing DNA from the slime the fish leave behind in their spawning streams.

Trees’ enemies help tropical forests maintain their biodiversity, study finds

Scientists have long struggled to explain how tropical forests can maintain their staggering diversity of trees without having a handful of species take over – or having many other species die out. The answer, researchers say, lies in the soil found near individual trees, where natural “enemies” of tree species reside. These enemies, including fungi and arthropods, attack and kill many of the seeds and seedlings near the host tree, preventing local recruitment of trees of that same species.

Discovery of a new gene could shed light on chemical exposure effects in humans

The discovery of a new gene in zebrafish could lead to a better understanding of how exposure to chemicals leads to disease in humans.

Solar arrays could be used as resources for plant productivity, study shows

Oregon State University scientists have found a resource to increase agricultural production on dry, unirrigated farmland—solar panels.

Genetic behavior reveals cause of death in poplars essential to ecosystems, industry

Scientists studying the valuable, but vulnerable, black cottonwood poplar have identified the genetic mechanism responsible for the species’ inability to resist a pervasive and deadly disease.

OSU researchers propose CRISPR as influencer of low genetic diversity in deadly bacteria

Scientists at Oregon State University have shed light on the evolutionary history of a soil-borne bacteria that is so dangerous to grazing animals it is kept behind lock-and-key to prevent its spread.

Economic analysis provides watershed moment for environmental groups

Economists have found that in the United States, watershed groups have had a positive impact on their local water quality. 

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