FENOLOGIA REPRODUTIVA DE RUBIACEAE JUSS. NA MATA ATLÂNTICA PARAIBANA

Phenological studies help determine the reproductive and vegetative patterns of plants, contributing to knowledge about dynamics in an environment. We studied the reproductive phenological patterns of five Rubiaceae species in an Atlantic Forest area, evaluating their seed dispersal syndromes and the effects of climatic variables on flowering and fruiting phenology. We monitored reproductive individuals of five species biweekly from February 2015 to February 2016 (one-year period). For each reproductive phenophase, we evaluated the Fournier index and intrapopulational synchronicity. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to determine possible correlations between phenological phenophases and rainfall, temperature and photoperiod. Seed dispersal syndromes were based on morphological analysis and Van der Pijl classification. The Rubiaceae community showed a continuous pattern of flowering and fruiting. However, when analysing phenological patterns by species, there was a higher concentration of phenophases and synchronicity of populations in the rainy season. Flowering and fruiting were positively correlated with temperature and historical average rainfall. Zoochory was the predominant seed dispersal syndrome, indicating the importance of the Rubiaceae family as a year-round resource for frugivorous communities. Temperature and rainfall regulate the reproductive phenophases similarly, resulting in a high level of synchrony between them.

Qigongas a Traditional Vegetative Biofeedback Therapy: Long-Term Conditioning of Physiological Mind-Body Effects

A contemporary understanding of Chinese Medicine (CM) regards CM diagnosis as a functional vegetative state that may be treated by vegetative reflex therapies such as acupuncture. Within this context, traditional mind-body exercises such asQigongcan be understood as an attempt to enhance physiological proprioception, by combining a special state of “awareness” with posture, movement, and breath control. We have formerly trained young auditing flutists in “White Ball”Qigongto minimize anxiety-induced cold hands and lower anxiety-induced heart rate. Functional changes occurred 2–5 min after training and were observed over the whole training program, allowing the children to control their symptoms. In our current work, we report that warm fingers and calm hearts could be induced by the children even withoutQigongexercises. Thus, these positive changes once induced and “conditioned” vegetatively were stable after weeks of training. This may show the mechanism by whichQigongacts as a therapeutic measure in disease: positive vegetative pathways may be activated instead of dysfunctional functional patterns. The positive vegetative patterns then may be available in critical stressful situations.Qigongexercise programs may therefore be understood as an ancient vegetative biofeedback exercise inducing positive vegetative functions which are added to the individual reactive repertoire.