Study of the natural condition of the European Alps has been ongoing since the 1500s. The Alps are commonly recognized as the home of edelweiss and yodeling and draw large numbers of tourists in for skiing and winter sports. One of the largest threats to alpine systems within this mountain range is in fact the bulldozing of alpine vegetation for ski runs. Agriculture and pastoralism have largely decreased throughout the Alps over the last century, though some farming in Switzerland, Germany and Austria still persist.