Motto

 Live and let live. Today is life. 

 

Lectures and seminars

Ecological biomonitoring (Bc)

Applied biomonitoring (Bc)

Ecological monitoring - field exercises (Bc)

Biodiversity and its threats for teachers (Bc)

Biological principles of nature protection for teachers (Bc)

Academic vademecum 1 and 2 (Bc)

Methods of research work (Mgr)

Biological principles of nature protection (Mgr)

Ecology of terrestrial environment - ecology forest ecosystems (Mgr)

Ecology of terrestrial environment for teachers - ecology forest ecosystems (Mgr)

Methods of vertebrate and invertebrate research (Mgr)

Management of protected animal species (Mgr)

Biological principles of nature protection - - field exercises (Mgr)

Ecology of terrestrial environment - field eexercises (Mgr)

Conservation biology (PhD)

Methodology and ethics of scientific work (PhD)

 

Professional career

2007 – till now: Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matthias Belius University Banská Bystrica, Assistant, Associate Professor, Professor

2000 – 2007 State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republik, Banská Bystrica, researcher-zoologist, head of department, director of Centre of Nature and Lanscape Protection, Deputy for the professional and methodological management

1996 – 2000 Slovak Environmental Agency – Centre of Nature and Lanscape Protection, Banská Bystrica, researcher-zoologist, head of department

1993 – 1996 Slovak Environmental Agency – Headquaters, Banská Bystrica, researcher-zoologist

1992 - 1993 Centre of State Nature Protection Banská Bystrica, Poľana PLA-BR Administration Zvolen, researcher-zoologist

1986 – 1992 Headquaters of State Nature Protection Liptovský Mikuláš, Poľana PLA Administration Zvolen, researcher-biologist

1985 – 1985 Čierny Balog Forest enterprise, entrance practice

 

Acquirements

prof. in Landscape use and protection (2022) Faculty of Natural Sciences and Informatics Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Selected current problems of threat and protection of fauna in Slovaki

Assoc. prof. in Landscape use and protection (2011) Faculty of Natural Sciences Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Thesis: Ecological and environmental factors of the spatial extension of otter in Slovakia

Ph.D. in Ecology (2000) Institute of Forest Ecology (Slovak Academy of Sciences) in Zvolen; Thesis: About the ecology of otter (Lutra lutra) in Slovakia

Ing. (1985) Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen; Thesis: Evaluation of chamonis intoduction to Low Tatras

 

Research interests

Ecology and protection of selected animal groups and species (crayfish, otter, amphibians, great carnivores...)

dynamic ecology

history of nature conservation

 

Current research projects

• project 0410-2SC-BIO-PC2-006 Strengthening biodiversity, resilience and connectivity of Pieniny National
  Park (2026 – 2028)  
• project APVV-24-0101  Biosphere reserves as living laboratories(2025 – 2029) 

Completed research projects

• project APVV-20-0108 Implementation of Agenda 2030 through biosphere reserves (2021 - 2025) 
• project Kega 003UMB-4/2023 Concepts and methods for wildlife conservation monitoring (2023 - 2025) 
• project KEGA 036UMB-4/2018  Current and system ecology: structure, dynamics and complexity of communities and ecosystems

• SAIA project 2017-10-20-002 Searching for shy canid species – wolf and golden jackal survey in potential co-existence areas of Austria and Slovakia
• project VEGA 1/0411/14 Tourist visitation as a factor influencing diversity of organism in protected area – worker
• project OPV-2012-1.2/05-SORO
• project VEGA 1/0303/12 Genetic differentiation of fragmented populations of capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) and black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) in western Carpathians (2012-2014) – second investigator
• project KEGA 001UMB-4/2012 Set of three university textbooks (Management of protected areas, Management of protected animal species and Management of protected plant species) – second investigator
• project VEGA Habitat requirements of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra L.) on Slovak streams (2008 – 2010), project leader
• project VEGA 1/0762/09 Ecological integrity of the country and evaluation of its changes in the cultural landscape in relation to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in the global climate change (2009-2011) – worker
• project VEGA 1/4051/07: Primary quarrying relicts in relation to the cultural landscape of Zvolen Basin (2007-2009) – worker
• project APVV: Genetic diversity and differentiation of populations of selected species of hunting and  protected animals (2006-2008) – worker
• project LIFE: Protection of habitat diversity in the Slovak Paradise National Park (2005-2007) – member of the project steering committee

 

List of selected publications over the last 5 year

• Ranc N., Wilmers Ch. C., Maiorano L., Warton D. I., Álvares F., Cagnacci F., Hatlauf J., Acosta-Pankov I., Banea O., Berce T., Červinka J., Ćirović D., Ćosić N., Gál L., Giannatos G., Guimarães N. F., Heltai M., Ivanov G., Lanszki J., Lapini L., Männil P., Melovski D., Migli D., Pavanello M., Penezić A., Petrova A., Šálek M., Sallay-Mosoi A., Selanec I., Selimovic A., Sforna T., Stojanov A., Szabó L., Tarman J., Trbojević I., Trbojević T., Urban P., Krofel M. 2026. Human shielding from wolves facilitates jackal expansion across Europe. Nature Ecology & Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-026-03060-y

• Urban P. (ed.) 2026: Červená kniha ohrozených a vzácnych druhov rastlín, húb a živočíchov Slovenska? Cicavce. Štátna ochrana prírody Slovenskej republiky, Banská Bystrica, 112 pp.

• Urban P., Baláž I., Baláž M., BartókovÁ S., Bitušík P., Hrdý T., Chamutiová T., Jánošíková R., Kalaš M., Klinga P., Košša J., Králik M., Kropil R., Lešo P., Slobodníková V. & Švajda J. 2025:  Koncepty a metódy monitoringu živočíchov v ochrane prírody – vybrané kapitoly / Concepts and methods for
  wildlife conservation monitoring – selected chapters. Belianum, Banská Bystrica, 217 pp.
• Urban P., Ambros M., Kadlečík J., Černecký J., Adamcová M., Baláž I., Bučko J., Finďo S., Krojerová J., Kubala J., Lehotská B. & Uhrin M. 2024: Červený zoznam cicavcov Slovenska / Red List of Mammals of Slovakia. Ochrana prírody, Banská Bystrica 43: 57–69.
• GREGOROVÁ B., HRONČEK P. & URBAN P. 2023: An Anthropogenically Created Landscape as a Habitat for the European Ground Squirrel Population Using the Example of the Muránska Planina National Park in the Western Carpathians (Slovakia). Land 2(11), 2070; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12112070
• GUIMARÃES N. F., ÁLVARES F., ĎUROVÁ J., URBAN P., BUČKO J., IĽKO T., BRNDIAR J., ŠTOFIK J., PATAKY T., BARANČEKOVÁ M., KROPIL R. & SMOLKO P. 2022: What drives wolf preference towards wild ungulates? Insights from a multi-prey system in the Slovak Carpathians. PLoS ONE 17(6): e0265386. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265386
• HRONČEK P., URBAN P., GREGOROVÁ B., ČECH V. & TOMETZOVÁ D. 2022: Anthropogenically Created Alpine Pastures as Landscape Resources for the Alpine Chamois Population in the Western Carpathians Mountain Range: Ďumbier Tatras Case Study. Land 11(12): 2177. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122177
• URBAN P. & SABO P. (eds.) 2021: Úvod do systémovej ekológie I : prípadové štúdie. Vydavateľstvo Univerzity Mateja Bela - Belianum; Banská Bystrica, 91 pp. ISBN 978-80-557-1841-5, 978-80-557-1842-2
• URBAN P., SABO P. & PLESNÍK J. 2021. How to define ecology on the basis of its current understanding. Folia Oecologica 48(1): doi: 10.2478/foecol-2021-0001.
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