Michael Collins

Dr. Michael Collins is a Professor of Biology and Chair of the Biology Department at Rhodes College, where he is also affiliated with the Program in Environmental Studies and Sciences. His research focuses on examining the determinants and consequences of species diversity at local, regional, and global scales through observational, field, computational, statistical, and GIS approaches.

Dr. Collins earned his B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Arizona, an M.S. in Biological Science from Florida State University, and a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Tennessee.

His primary research interests include ecology, ornithology, wildlife biology, conservation biology, and disease ecology. He uses avian malaria as a model host-parasite system to explore forces that limit the distribution and abundance of birds and their blood-borne parasites. His lab investigates how individual- and species-level host traits influence malaria prevalence across species in west Tennessee, regional bird communities, and haemosporidian parasites in South American birds. Dr. Collins also examines climate change effects on avian body size (testing Bergmann's rule predictions) and collaborates on research into ecological determinants of tick populations and tick-borne diseases in the Southeast United States.

Analysis of Dr. Collins' recent publications reveals a dominant focus on avian malaria ecology, with numerous studies examining parasite distribution, host-parasite interactions, and geographic variation across different regions. His work spans from local Tennessee studies to broader investigations across South America and globally. Additional research themes include climate change effects on bird morphology, community ecology patterns, and ecological drivers of vector-borne diseases.

• Multiple publications on avian malaria in Journal of Ornithology, Molecular Ecology, and Global Ecology and Biogeography
• Studies on climate change effects on avian body size in Northeastern Naturalist and Journal of Ornithology
• Research on tick population ecology in PLoS ONE
• Community ecology studies in Ecology and Evolutionary Ecology Research

Dr. Collins has mentored numerous undergraduate researchers through his lab, with many students going on to pursue advanced degrees in ecology, evolutionary biology, medicine, and related fields. He emphasizes hands-on learning and research experiences, involving students in field work (bird banding and surveys), laboratory analyses (DNA extraction and PCR), and computational biology. His teaching portfolio includes Ecology, Wildlife Biology, Ornithology, and Environmental Field Study in Namibia, reflecting his commitment to experiential learning and global perspectives in environmental science.