Modelling respiration of vegetation: Evidence for a general temperature-dependent Q₁₀

Temperature responses of rates of respiratory CO₂ efflux from plants, soils, and ecosystems are frequently modelled using exponential functions with a constant Q₁₀ near 2.0 (fractional change in rate with a 10°C increase in temperature). However, we present evidence that Q₁₀ declines with short-term increases in temperature in a predictable manner across diverse plant taxa. Thus, models using a constant Q₁₀ are biased, and use of a temperature-corrected Q₁₀ may improve the accuracy of modelled respiratory CO₂ efflux in plants and ecosystems in response to temperature and predicted global climate changes.