Modelling respiration of vegetation: evidence for a general temperature-dependent Q(10)

Temperature responses of rates of respiratory CO2 efflux from plants, soils , and ecosystems are frequently modelled using exponential functions with a constant Q(10) near 2.0 (fractional change in rate with a 10 degreesC incr ease in temperature). However, we present evidence that Q(10) declines with short-term increases in temperature in a predictable manner across diverse plant taxa. Thus, models using a constant Q(10) are biased, and use of a t emperature-corrected Q(10) may improve the accuracy of modelled respiratory CO2 efflux in plants and ecosystems in response to temperature and predict ed global climate changes.