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Cantão is a tropical forest ecosystem located in the central Araguaia river basin, the southeastern edge of the Amazon biome, in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. It is one of the biologically richest areas of the eastern Amazon, with over 700 species of birds, nearly 300 species of fish (more than in all of Europe),〔(Estudo das Espécies Ícticas do Parque Estadual do Cantão ), fish species survey of Cantão (in Portuguese)〕 and large populations of endangered species such as the giant otter and the black cayman. About 90% of the Cantão ecosystem is protected within Cantão State Park. ==Ecological importance== Due to its geographical location and topography, the Cantão ecosystem combines several unique features that contribute to its high biodiversity and productivity: *It is located at the ecotone between the cerrado and Amazon biomes of Brazil. The cerrado has the highest biodiversity of all the world's savannas, and the Amazon has the highest rainforest diversity. At the Cantão region, this ecotone is particularly sharp, resulting in species from both biomes coexisting within a relatively small area. *It is at the center of the Araguaia migratory corridor, which connects the Pantanal wetlands to the Amazon river system. Waterbirds in great numbers move seasonally up and down this corridor as water levels change and feeding and breeding opportunities appear. *It contains 900 of the estimated 1100 oxbow lakes of the Araguaia river. A great proportion of the region's fish species breed and feed in oxbow lakes, especially during the low water season, when the lakes are isolated from the rivers. Oxbow lakes are also the preferred habitat of giant otters and black caymans. *It contains the largest continuous flooded forest expanse of the Araguaia basin. During the wet season, the igapó flooded forest that covers most of Cantão is flooded by water six to eight meters deep. This creates a very productive habitat for fish and other aquatic life, as the flooded forest trees provide not only foraging substrate and cover, but also abundant food in the form of fruit and insects that constantly drop into the water.〔(Avaliação Ecológica Rapida do Parque Estadual do Cantão ), Ecological survey of Cantão State Park (in Portuguese).〕 *It has the highest freshwater fish diversity of any protected area in the world, with at least 273 documented species occurring in the park. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Cantão」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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