Which material is notably scarce in New England soils?

In the context of New England soils, clay is notably scarce due to the geological history and the predominant material composition in the region. New England has a diverse range of soil textures, but many areas are characterized by coarse materials from glacial deposits, including sandy and silt loam soils. The glacial activity resulted in the majority of the soil being composed of sand and silt, which are more readily available in this geographic area.

While organic matter is often present in varying amounts depending on the specific ecosystem and land use, clay tends to be less prevalent. The formation of clay requires specific environmental conditions and parent materials, which are not as common in New England's soil formation processes. Consequently, while some soils may contain clay, it is not as abundant when compared to sand and silt, making clay the correct answer to this question.