Autotrophic respiration involves the use of fixed carbon by plants for their own metabolism, resulting in the release of carbon dioxide as a by-product. Little is known of how autotrophic respiration components vary across environmental gradients, particularly in tropical ecosystems. Here, we present stem CO2 efflux data measured across an elevation transect spanning ca. 2800m in the Peruvian Amazon and Andes. Forest plots from five elevations were studied: 194, 210, 1000, 1500, and 3025masl Stem CO2 efflux (Rs) values from each plot were extrapolated to the 1-ha plot level. Mean Rs per unit stem surface area declined significantly with elevation, from 1.14±0.12 at 210m elevation to 0.62±0.09μmolCm-2s-1 at 3025m elevation. When adjusted for changing forest structure with elevation, this is equivalent to 6.45±1.12MgCha-1yr-1 at 210m elevation to 2.94±0.19MgCha-1yr-1 at 3025m elevation. We attempted to partition stem respiration into growth and maintenance respiration components for each site. Both growth and maintenance respiration rates per unit stem showed similar, moderately significant absolute declines with elevation, but the proportional decline in growth respiration rates was much greater. Stem area index (SAI) showed little trend along the transect, with declining tree stature at higher elevations being offset by an increased number of small trees. This trend in SAI is sensitive to changes in forest stature or size structure. In the context of rapid regional warming over the 21st century, such indirect, ecosystem-level temperature responses are likely to be as important as the direct effects of temperature on maintenance respiration rates. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.