Research interests
Education:
- B.Sc. in Geography, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2015.
- Master studies of Geography, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2018.
- Ph.D. student of Biosciences (Protection of the Natural Heritage) at the Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Research fields:
Environment protection, geodiversity, biodiversity, physical geography, geographic information system
Other activities:
- Member of the Acta geographica Slovenica editorial board (2023 - )
- Member of organisation board of Geographic Information Systems in Slovenia Symposium (2021 - )
- Member of organisation board of Natural hazards in Slovenia Symposium (2021 - )
- Member of organisation board of ZRC SAZU Early Career Researchers Symposium (2021 - 2022)
- Member of Executive Committee of Geomorphological society of Slovenia (2023 - )
- Member of society Dinaricum Executive Committee Dinaricum (2020 - )
- Representative of The International Scientific Committee on Research in the Alps (ISCAR) in the Large Carnivores, Wild Ungulates and Society (WISO) working Group (2025 - )
- Member of Ljubljana Geographical Society's Executive Committee and Short Excursion's commissioner (2020 - 2024)
- Member of Interpret Europe – European Association for Heritage Interpretation (2021 - 2024)
- Member of society of young geographers of Slovenia (2011 – 2018)
Recognitions and awards
Award for the best ESRI final work for the academic year 2018/2019 (GDi)
Dr. Bojan Erhartič ZRC SAZU Scholarship for research work, 2022
Distinction of the Association of the Geographical Societies of Slovenia, 2022
Selected publications
- Čonč, Š., 2020: The importance of protection of geodiversity hotspots for the conservation of biodiversity in the Natura2000 area in the Dragonja river valley. Geografski vestnik 92-2
- Nared, J., Pečar, J., Goluža, M., Logar, E., Pipan, P., Trobec, A., Komac, B., Rus, P., Čonč, Š., Volk Bahun, M., Goosse, T., Del Castillo, H. 2021: Atlas on Quality of Life in Slovenia. ESPON, Luxembourg.
- Čonč, Š., Oliveira, T., Portas, R., Černe, R., Breg Valjavec, M., Krofel, M. 2022: Dolines and Cats: Remote Detection of Karst Depressions and Their Application to Study Wild Felid Ecology. Remote Sensing 14.
- Čarni, A., Čonč, Š., Breg Valjavec, M., 2022. Landform-vegetation units in karstic depressions (dolines) evaluated by indicator plant species and Ellenberg indicator values. Ecological Indicators 135.
- Ciglič, R., Čonč, Š., Breg Valjavec, M. 2022: The Impact of Digital Elevation Model Preprocessing and Detection Methods on Karst Depression Mapping in Densely Forested Dinaric Mountains. Remote Sensing 14, 2416.
- Čonč, Š., Fležar, U., Hočevar, L., Oliveira, T., Krofel, M. 2022: Microhabitat relief characteristics of the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx): an example of analysis of morphometry and morphology of dolines as kill sites. Preteklost in prihodnost, GIS v Sloveniji 16. Ljubljana.
- Breg Valjavec, M., Dunato Pejnović, N. Draženović, M., Čonč, Š., Polajnar Horvat, K. 2022: The Transboundary Approach to Landscape Geointerpretation: Challenges in Interpretive Planning and Geoconservation. Geoheritage 14.
- Čonč, Š., Oliveira, T., Belotti, E., Bufka, L., Černe, R., Heurich, M., Breg Valjavec, M., Krofel, M. 2024: Revealing functional responses in habitat selection of rocky features and rugged terrain by Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) using LiDAR data. Landscape Ecology 39, 121.
- Čonč, Š., Oliveira, T., Hočevar, L., Černe, R., Breg Valjavec, M., Krofel, M. 2024: Integrating geodiversity in animal spatial ecology: microhabitat selection of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) and European wildcat (Felis silvestris) in a karst landscape. Global Ecology and Conservation 54, e03138.
Lectures and presentations:
- The importance of protection of geodiversity hotspots for the conservation of biodiversity in the Natura 2000 area in the Dragonja river valley. Invited lecture at Geomorphological society of Slovenia, Ljubljana, 7. 4. 2021.
- Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) in Slovenia and its movement based on relief features. Invited lecture at Geographical research camp (Society of young geographers of Slovenia), Kočevje, 15. 7. 2021.
- Dolines as microhabitat relief feature and their importance for Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) ecology. Geomorphology and global change: 10th IAG International conference on geomorphology, Coimbra, 12. – 16. 9. 2022.
- Microhabitat relief characteristics of the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx): an example of analysis of morphometry and morphology of dolines as kill sites. 16. bienalni simpozij GIS v Sloveniji, 27. 9. 2022, Ljubljana.
- Importance of dolines and other karst depressions for Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) ecology. 5th Eurolynx Meeting, 10. - 13. 10. 2022, Eisenach.
- Detection of rocky outcrops from LiDAR-derived DEM in Dinaric Karst. EGU General Assembly, 23. – 28. 4. 2023, Vienna, Austria.
- Automatic detection of rocky outcrops and their use by Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in landscapes with different relief types. IAG Regional Conference on Geomorphology: Geoheritage and geodiversity, 12. – 14. 9. 2023, Nevşehir, Türkiye.
- Importance of rocky landforms for Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) ecology in landscapes with different relief types. LIFE Lynx International Conference „Together for lynx“ and annual Eurolynx meeting, 26. – 29. 9. 2023, Zadar, Croatia
- Importance of relief features for Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) ecology and conservation. Guest lecture at Open seminar of Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, 9. 2. 2024, Białowieża, Poland.
- Linking bio- and geodiversity: the importance of landforms for the ecology and conservation of the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx). Guest lecture at The ForumAlpinum: The Alps – a Refuge of Bio- and Geodiversity!?, 12. 6. 2024, Kranjska Gora.
Selected projects
Geography of Slovenia - national research programme (research programme • January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2027)
TUNE UP - Promoting multilevel governance for tuning up biodiversity protection in marine areas (INTERREG • November 1, 2019 - June 30, 2022)
Connectivity concept in karst: the doline-cave coupling in the context of human impacts (September 1, 2020 - August 31, 2023)
The impact of climate change on avalanches in Slovenia (research project • October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2025)
Supporting Holocene Climate Reconstruction with High-Resolution Cryospheric Proxies from the Karst Ice Caves of Slovenia (fundamental research project • October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2026)
Denuded caves of the Nullarbor Plain (fundamental project • October 1, 2023 - November 30, 2026)
Integrative crossborder conservation of Natura 2000 plant species and their habitats (INTERREG • April 1, 2024 - September 30, 2026)
Innovative ecosystem-based plan to adapt to climate change in the Karst. Promoting Fire-resilient forestry supported by Industry 5.0 (INTERREG • April 15, 2024 - April 14, 2026)
The Life and Death of Cultivated Terraces: Computer-Based Recognition and Spatial Analysis of Terraces (applied research project • January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2027)
Ironing out complexities in karst chronology: the Quaternary aeolianite karst phenomenon (June 1, 2025 - May 31, 2028)
Melting Mysteries: Revealing the Impacts of Climate Change on Ice Caves Through Citizen Science (September 1, 2025 - October 31, 2026)
TUNE UP - Promoting multilevel governance for tuning up biodiversity protection in marine areas (INTERREG • November 1, 2019 - June 30, 2022)
Connectivity concept in karst: the doline-cave coupling in the context of human impacts (September 1, 2020 - August 31, 2023)
The impact of climate change on avalanches in Slovenia (research project • October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2025)
Supporting Holocene Climate Reconstruction with High-Resolution Cryospheric Proxies from the Karst Ice Caves of Slovenia (fundamental research project • October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2026)
Denuded caves of the Nullarbor Plain (fundamental project • October 1, 2023 - November 30, 2026)
Integrative crossborder conservation of Natura 2000 plant species and their habitats (INTERREG • April 1, 2024 - September 30, 2026)
Innovative ecosystem-based plan to adapt to climate change in the Karst. Promoting Fire-resilient forestry supported by Industry 5.0 (INTERREG • April 15, 2024 - April 14, 2026)
The Life and Death of Cultivated Terraces: Computer-Based Recognition and Spatial Analysis of Terraces (applied research project • January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2027)
Ironing out complexities in karst chronology: the Quaternary aeolianite karst phenomenon (June 1, 2025 - May 31, 2028)
Melting Mysteries: Revealing the Impacts of Climate Change on Ice Caves Through Citizen Science (September 1, 2025 - October 31, 2026)