Spatiotemporal Changes in Toyama City Based on Railroad Utilization and NDVI Analysis

Few studies have examined transportation differences across Toyama City as a whole from a spatial perspective. Herein, a spatiotemporal analysis of the relationship between transportation, particularly rail transport, and environmental conditions, with a focus on biodiversity, was conducted. Railroad use serves as an indicator of human activity, while the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) indicates environmental conditions by measuring plant health, density, and vigor. Changes in these indices from 2011 to 2023 were visualized using a geographic information system (GIS). The results show that both indices tended to increase within the central areas of Densely Inhabited Districts but decreased in peripheral areas, indicating spatial heterogeneity. These findings imply that compact urban development has been partially successful in promoting ecosystem health; however, further research adopting a comprehensive, citywide perspective on transportation is required.