Difference Between Evergreen and Deciduous Forest

The main difference between evergreen and deciduous forest is that the trees in an evergreen forest do not shed their leaves during a particular season whereas the trees in a deciduous forest shed their leaves during the dry season. Furthermore, a typical evergreen forest receives more than 200 mm of annual rainfall while a deciduous forest receives between 200-70 mm of annual rainfall. 

Evergreen and deciduous forest are two types of forests classified based on the shedding of leaves by the trees. 

Key Areas Covered 

1. What is an Evergreen Forest
     – Definition, Features, Trees
2. What is a Deciduous Forest
     – Definition, Features, Trees
3. What are the Similarities Between Evergreen and Deciduous Forest
     – Outline of Common Features
4. What is the Difference Between Evergreen and Deciduous Forest
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms 

Deciduous Forest, Evergreen Forest, Rainfall, Shedding Leaves, Temperature, Tropical Forests 

Difference Between Evergreen and Deciduous Forest – Side by Side Comparison

What is an Evergreen Forest 

An evergreen forest is a type of forest whose trees maintain their leaves throughout the year. This means, regardless of the season, these trees will be found with leaves or needles. The trees of an evergreen forest can be conifers, hemlock, eucalyptus, cycads, etc.  

Figure 1: An Evergreen Forest

However, old leaves of these trees are shed and replaced by new leaves regularly. But, there is no seasonal shedding. Many tropical forests are considered evergreen. Generally, evergreen forests prefer warmer temperatures.  

What is a Deciduous Forest 

Deciduous forest is a type of forest with trees that grow fresh leaves in every spring since they lose their leaves in every fall. During the fall, the leaves get spectacular bright colors such as red, orange, and yellow before their shedding. The leaves of the deciduous trees are generally broad. Both the structure and pattern of arrangements in leaves increase the effectiveness of photosynthesis in deciduous trees. Also, shedding leaves during winter helps the trees to reserve water. Many woody plants such as oaks and maple are often found in deciduous forests.  

Figure 2: A Deciduous Forest

There are two types of deciduous forests according to the pattern of shedding leaves: temperature deciduous forests and tropical deciduous forests. The trees in the temperature deciduous forests are sensitive to seasonal temperatures while the tropical deciduous forests are sensitive to seasonal rainfall patterns. 

Similarities Between Evergreen and Deciduous Forest 

• Evergreen and deciduous forest are two types of forests classified based on the pattern and seasonality of the foliage growth. 
• Both are green during spring. 

Difference Between Evergreen and Deciduous Forest 

Definition 

Evergreen forest refers to a forest made up of evergreen trees while deciduous forest refers to a forest made up of deciduous trees, which lose their leaves seasonally. 

Leaves 

The trees of an evergreen forest do not shed their leaves seasonally while the trees of deciduous forest shed their leaves seasonally. 

Type of Weather 

Furthermore, the vergreen forests survive in warm weather while the deciduous forests shed their leaves to survive in both cold and dry conditions. 

Soil Nutrients 

Also, the soil of evergreen forests has low amounts of nutrients while the soil of deciduous forests has higher amounts of nutrients. 

Rainfall 

Moreover, the annual rainfall in an evergreen forest is more than 200 mm while the annual rainfall in a deciduous forest is between 70-200 mm. 

Sensitive to 

Therefore, the evergreen forests are mainly sensitive to temperature while deciduous forests are sensitive to rainfall. 

Density of the Forest 

In addition to the above, the evergreen forests are denser while deciduous forests are less dense. 

Types of Trees 

Evergreen forests contain mahogany, ebony, rosewood, rubber, conifers, cycads, etc. while deciduous forests contain sandalwood, teak, sal, oak, maple, etc. 

Conclusion 

An evergreen forest is a tropical forest, which maintains their leaves throughout the year while deciduous forests shed their leaves seasonally. The main difference between evergreen and deciduous forest is the pattern of shedding leaves. 

Reference:

1. “evergreen forest.” A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. Encyclopedia.com. 8 Aug. 2018, Available Here 
2. “Temperate Deciduous Forest: Mission: Biomes.” NASA, NASA, Available Here

Image Courtesy:

1. “Slow – Coastal Temperate Rainforest” By Sam Beebe (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Upward” By Nicholas A. Tonelli (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr