Distinguish between evergreen and deciduous forests

Two distinguish between evergreen and deciduous forests, one must first define what an evergreen and a deciduous plant are. 

Evergreen plants, like the name suggests, are plants that maintain their leaves all year around. Regardless of the season, evergreens will be found with leaves or needles. It is important to note however, that evergreens will lose some leaves or needles throughout the year, but never lose them all at once. A good example of an evergreen is the pine tree.

Deciduous plants, on the other hand, grow fresh leaves every spring, and lose their leaves every fall. Typically, during the fall period, the leaves change to spectacular bright colors such as red, orange, or yellow before they are dropped. Once dropped later in the fall, these plants appear bare in the winter, sometimes appearing as if they are dead. Each spring, new leaves are then grown. A good example of these types of plants are oak trees.

Together, entire forests can be made up of either evergreen or deciduous plants, with each type having the above mentioned characteristics. The determination of the make up of such forests is often based on factors such as climate, soil, temperature, and elevation. Often times, in some regions, it is also common to see forests that are a mix of these two types of plants. Hope this helps!