Which urban ecological process can be a result of gentrification?

In urban ecology, gentrification often leads to the process known as invasion. This occurs when higher-income individuals move into a neighborhood that was previously occupied by lower-income residents. As new residents arrive, they bring different socio-economic dynamics and often lead to changes in the physical and social fabric of the community.

Gentrification can result in the displacement of long-standing residents, altering the demographic makeup of the area. New investments in housing, infrastructure, and amenities attract more affluent populations, thereby pushing out those who can no longer afford the rising costs associated with the neighborhood. This dynamic illustrates the concept of invasion, where one species (or in this case, a demographic) encroaches upon and supplants another.

The other processes, such as expansion, centralization, and block-boosting, do not directly correlate with the mechanisms and impacts associated with gentrification in the same way. Expansion generally refers to the physical growth of urban areas, while centralization focuses on the concentration of activities or populations in a specific area. Block-boosting could refer to efforts to enhance a specific area but lacks the specific connotation of demographic change and socio-economic displacement characteristic of gentrification.