system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How do the energy economies of deciduous and coniferous trees different?

Deciduous trees shed and have to grow back their leaves every year but they aren't always out-competed by conifers in many latitudes where both grow.  How much energy does it take a tree to re-grow its leaves?  Does a pine continue to accumulate energy over the winter or is it limited by water availability?  What does a tree's energy budget look like, overall?
gpt
Energy required to grow leaves is only part of the equation. Conifer and deciduous trees have different strategies to survive which all depend on the balance of energy, nutrients, and water. 

Conifers (in general) are better at conserving nutrients and water bc not only do they keep their needles year round but they also have a waxy cuticle that doesn’t lose as much water or nutrients and have different internal structures which more efficiently retain water (tracheids). So overall conifers require less nutrients and water to grow and produce less energy bc of the small surface area of the needles. But they can photosynthesize year round. Hence why you usually see more conifers in colder or harsher growing areas.  

Deciduous trees take a different approach. They make a lot of energy quickly through the high surface area leaves. But this comes with drawbacks. They usually require more nutrients and water because they lose much through their leaves (stomas) and from dropping leaves. When growing conditions change in winter they shed their leaves to keep from losing too much and repeat the cycle again. This is why you usually see deciduous trees in more favorable growing conditions. Such as warmer climates or close to streams in harsher climates. 

Simply put conifers grow slow but are always making energy while deciduous grow fast as possible in the short amount of time they can then take a break. This is kind of a broad characterization of both but gets to some of the main differences. There are many examples which don’t fit this exact paradigm.