I think the question is not too much clear, since it shoud depend also on the local context. If you are in a complex morphological environment  like the alps you have a kind of answers, in a large plain area where you have completely different morphological and propriety structure, you may have a completely different result.

Thanks, Marco; site adaption of any management measures are certainly crucial. But is there a difference BESIDES this context due to farm and/or parcel size?

Dear Roman,

I think the environment of small farms must be much more divers than that of big ones. Even not only more divers (containing a lot of wild plants, animals, microorganisms) but the size of these areas is bigger. The larger is a farm the more industrial cropping methods (artificial fertilizers, pesticides, transgenic crops, monocultures, high performance, very heavy agricultural machines etc.) are used. Thus I believe smaller farms are more sustainable agricultural production units. I have read that according to an EU rule from the estate size of 15 ha, the owner should utilize 5% of this area as “green” zone grown over with wild plants. The efficiency of green zones will be assessed by the number of hares (Lepus eruropes) as indicator species.

Dear Roman,

Regarding that organic production is realised mainly in smaller fields, these farms need more human working power which is an advance for rural manpower-management.

Available labor in the region is the key factor for this choice. I think that Europe has the advantage of short distances from major population centers, which has all the social services and leisure of modern life, which facilitates the decision of families to remain in rural areas. In distant regions of these service centers, experience points to the emptying of the countryside, with the migration of people to the cities and the consequent increase in the size of farms. This causes even change the type of crop planted, using more mechanized activities, with lower demand for labor.

Hi, Roman,

The answers to your question given above are very interesting and intuitively, the answer seems to be obvious.

But - is there really no published research on this topic? Would be really a shame!!

Perhaps you could fill the gap?

best wishes, Irene

Dear Roman

I think the small farms in Europe can actually offer more benefits socio-ecological versus large farms. In this case it is the agricultural area is crucial. Indeed, in this kind of intensive farming operations may be set aside by a reasoned and organic farming.

Best regards

Hi Roman,

Your purpose is not very clear but my studies of agricultural lands in the lowlying polders of western Netherlands showed that;on farm site socio-ecological benefits are multi-faceted. These depend on the intent of the farmer & not farm size. E.g the farmer's conservation profiles, aesthetic views,recreational or ecotouristic agenda;distance of farm to cities,highways, parks, beaches,airports,railways; farmer's access to subsidies;agrarian legislation especially that of the Water Boards (Waterschappen in Dutch);seasonal variations and most of all management regimes (extensive or intensive). Goodluck