The ability of plant species to adjust key functional traits through intraspecific variation may determine their success in persisting on our planet in the future, especially in unstable habitats, such as the Amazonia–Cerrado transition zone. We assessed intraspecific variation in 12 leaf morphological and anatomical traits for four tree species along a savanna–forest gradient, including rocky cerrado, typical cerrado and woodland savanna. Generally, all evaluated species showed great intraspecific variation. Our findings demonstrate that trees occurring in the woodland savanna are potentially more vulnerable to climate change, while in the cerrado the individuals presented higher tolerance to water deficit and high temperatures. Trees occurring in open-canopy habitats showed smaller stomata, higher stomata and trichome densities, compared to the same species growing in the woodland savanna. In contrast, the individuals in the woodland savanna shift leaf traits to increase resource acquisition (e.g. light), showing higher specific leaf area and larger stomata, compared to cerrado individuals. We have shown that vegetation-induced shifts in leaf morphological and anatomical traits are a major effect in within-species variability, with consequences for persistence and tolerance of species under future climatic conditions.

植物物种通过种内变异调节关键功能性状的能力可能决定它们在未来继续在我们星球上生存的成功，尤其是在不稳定的生境中，例如亚马逊河-塞拉多过渡带。我们评估了沿着热带草原-森林梯度的四种树种的12种叶片形态和解剖特征的种内变异，包括岩石塞拉多，典型塞拉多和林地大草原。通常，所有评估的物种都表现出极大的种内变异。我们的研究结果表明，林地稀树草原上的树木可能更容易受到气候变化的影响，而塞拉多地区的树木这些个体对缺水和高温表现出更高的耐受性。与林地稀树草原中生长的同一种树种相比，在开放性树冠栖息地中生长的树木显示出较小的气孔，较高的气孔和毛状体密度。与此相反，在个人林地稀树草原移叶性状来增加资源获取（例如光），表示更高的比叶面积和较大的气孔，相比塞拉多个人。我们已经表明，植被引起的叶片形态和解剖特征的变化是物种内部变异的主要影响，在未来的气候条件下对物种的持久性和耐受性产生了影响。