Ana Paula Ferreira de BritoPhD Candidate, School of Agriculture, Food and WineAdelaide University Research Focus: Soil Carbon and Water Dynamics in Semi-Arid Tree–Crop Systems
 
Ana Paula Ferreira de Brito’s research investigates how integrating trees into dryland farming systems influences soil carbon storage and soil water dynamics across semi-arid landscapes in South Australia. Her work focuses on understanding how soil organic carbon, nutrient patterns, and water movement vary with depth and distance across tree–crop interfaces, and what this means for soil health and resilient production in dry conditions.
 
She uses infrared spectroscopy alongside remote sensing approaches, including drone-based multispectral imagery, to characterise soil properties across multiple spatial scales and to support rapid, low-waste monitoring of carbon and related soil indicators. Her field program combines laboratory measurements with on-ground surveys, including infiltration testing using infiltrometers, to quantify how water enters and moves through soils under contrasting tree–crop contexts.
 
Ana Paula works closely with researchers and partners across the University of Adelaide and CSIRO, and engages with growers and stakeholders to ensure the research translates into practical guidance for monitoring and managing tree-based agricultural landscapes in semi-arid regions.