 All plants and animals that live in and around Craters of the Moon are under great environmental stress due to constant dry winds and heat @-@ absorbing black lavas that tend to quickly sap water from living things . Summer soil temperatures often exceed 150 ° F ( 66 ° C ) and plant cover is generally less than 5 % on cinder cones and about 15 % over the entire monument . Adaptation is therefore necessary for survival in this semi @-@ arid harsh climate . 
