Anjana Ekka ^1,2* Basanta Kumar Das ¹ Aparna Roy ¹ Arun Pandit ¹ PRAJNA RITAMBHARA SWAIN ¹ Lianthuamluaia Lianthuamluaia ¹ Thangjam Nirupada Chanu ¹ Pranaya Kumar Parida ¹ PIYASHI DEBROY ¹ Shreya Bhattacharya ¹ Sangeeta Chakraborty ¹ Kausik Mondal ¹

• ¹ Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR), Kolkata, India
• ² Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands

Oxbow lakes, a type of wetland, are highly productive ecosystems that play an essential role in supporting aquatic biodiversity. These unique water bodies form from abandoned river meanders, creating isolated, crescent-shaped lakes. The interconnection of oxbow lakes with surrounding rivers and floodplains further enhances their ecological role, contributing to nutrient cycling and supporting the overall health of wetland ecosystems. These vibrant ecosystems play a pivotal role in sustaining local communities through capture fisheries, contributing significantly to both food security and income generation. Unfortunately, the intrinsic link between oxbow lakes and human well-being often goes unnoticed, resulting in a decline of these wetland areas in the Gangetic Plains. This study examines the ecosystem services provided by the Beledanga oxbow lake in the Gangetic Plains of India, with a particular focus on the critical role of river-oxbow lake connectivity for maintaining ecosystem functionality and sustainability. The study adopts the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment framework to assess provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services, using a combination of field surveys, stakeholder consultations, and secondary data. It highlights the socio-economic importance of the lake for local communities, particularly in agriculture and fisheries, which provide livelihoods for many households. However, challenges such as seasonal water scarcity and the infestation of macrophytes threaten the lake's connectivity with the river, thereby undermining its productivity and the services it provides. The study emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts involving local stakeholders to devise water management strategies and remove macrophytes, utilizing government initiatives like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for funding.Additionally, the establishment of robust monitoring systems for sustainable fisheries management and incentive programs for conservation efforts are recommended. The research highlights the importance of hydrological connectivity in sustaining the lake's ecosystem services and enhancing biodiversity. By integrating local knowledge and stakeholder engagement, this study provides valuable insights into the sustainable management of oxbow lakes and highlights the broader significance of river-oxbow lake connectivity in wetland conservation efforts. The findings also have implications for broader wetland conservation policies in similar ecosystems.