Shortgrass prairie carabids responded positively to ecosystem stress in the form of water and/or nitrogen by tending to concentrate within replicated plots receiving water treatment and within those which received both water and nitrogen. Statistical analyses were carried out on 3 of the most abundant species,Harpalus desertus, Selenophorus planipennis, andStenolophus rotundatus. Concentrations ofH. desertusoccurred in the nitrogen and water plus nitrogen plots, whereas those ofS. planipennisandS. rotundatuswere found primarily in the water plus nitrogen plots.