Intercropping is the practice of cultivating an additional crop in the spaces available between the main crop. It is a practice often associated with sustainable agriculture and organic farming. It forms a part of polyculture. Examples of intercropping strategies are planting a deep-rooted crop with a shallow-rooted crop, or planting a tall crop with a shorter crop that requires partial shade. Intercropping of compatible plants also encourages biodiversity, by providing a habitat for a variety of insects and soil organisms that would not be present in a single crop environment.