Vast fields of sunflowers, sprawling pine trees and slim cypresses, as well as vineyards as far as the eye can see — these are typical memories of Tuscany for all those who have been there. By contrast, a group of researchers is interested in the more barren aspects of the region in Central Italy: In a new study, the researchers analyzed the condition of the soil in the region known as ‘Crete Senesi’ between Florence and Grosseto, whose hills are typically characterized by erosion — for the moment at least, because the so-called badlands of Tuscany are acutely endangered.
