Portable Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Physical Anthropology and Primate Ecology Field Settings

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/3197xm462

Abstract

Abstract Portable near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a fast, dependable, and cost- effective method for assessing nutritional chemistry in different plant species. Portable NIR can streamline analysis and investigation within ecological field settings, allowing researchers to evaluate significant nutritional variation for among populations and species of plants. The use of NIR in agriculture is common, but the application of portable NIR in fieldwork is still new in ecology. NIR in field settings has the potential to open new avenues of research, and can also save time and money when used in more traditional projects. To test the applicability of portable NIR spectroscopy in the field, I used nutritional data from South African savanna plant samples generated using wet chemistry, and NIR spectra of the same samples, to create regression models to predict plant nutritional properties from spectral data. I created regression models to predict crude fat, crude protein, and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of all plant organs (root, leaf, inflor, fruit, rhizome, and stem) and also specifically for leaf. My findings indicate that portable NIR can be used to predict crude protein and acid detergent fiber of South, African savanna plant samples. My findings also indicate that portable NIR is valuable for researchers in field settings, providing them with instant access to information.

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