“…Some hypotheses were advanced to explain the different levels of insect abundance and diversity and include the following: 1) environments with increased complexity increase the diversity of herbivorous species associated with a host plant and, generally, decrease their abundance (Auslander, Nevo, & Inbar, 2003;Lazo, Valdes, Sampaio, & Leite, 2007); 2) host plants attributes, such as complex architecture, increase the diversity and abundance of herbivorous insects (Espírito-Santo, Neves, Andrade-Neto, & Fernandes, 2007;Leite et al, 2011c;2012c;; and 3) soil characteristics that favor trees indirectly effect the abundance of herbivorous insects (e.g. nutritional quality) (Auslander et al, 2003;Espírito-Santo et al, 2007;Leite et al, 2011d;2012c;.…”