Table 3.

The temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀ values) of decomposition processes and properties, determined by experiment and the measurement of organic matter properties from the Kosñipata transect.

Process/property	Site	Q10 value	Reference
Wood decomposition	Average response 210–3025 meters (m)	4.0
Fungal growth	Average response 1500–3400 m	3.9	Meier et al. 2010
Leaf-litter decomposition	Average response 210–3025 m	3.1	Salinas et al. 2011
Soil organic matter decomposition	soil origin 3030 m	3.4	Zimmermann et al. 2012
	soil origin 1500 m	2.3
	soil origin 1000 m	2.8
	soil origin 210 m	4.9
Heterotrophic respiration	in situ 3030 m	2.5	Zimmermann et al. 2009
	in situ 1500 m	1.6
	in situ 1000 m	1.5
	in situ 210 m	1.2
Total soil respiration	in situ 3030 m	4.3	Zimmermann et al. 2009
	in situ 1500 m	2.1
	in situ 1000 m	2.9
	in situ 210 m	6.9
Soil enzyme activities (Vmax)	Average response 194–3644 m
®-glucosidase		1.6
Cellobiohydrolase		2.0
®-xylanase		1.7
Phenol oxidase		1.4
N-acetyl ®-glucosaminidase		1.7
Phosphomonoesterase		1.6

Note: The values represent the average response determined across sites along the elevation gradient, calculated by comparing responses at the different sites (decomposition rates and fungal growth), or the range of site-specific values, determined using diurnal temperature variation (respiration) or by manipulating temperature in a laboratory incubation (enzyme activities). The Q₁₀ values for soil organic matter decomposition were determined by comparing the response for each soil type (soil origin) among the four sites according to the difference in MAT.