Question

can we say virus is also an decomposer????????

Answer 1

No, viruses basically have no positive aspects, they only cause diseases. Viruses are the link between the living and the non living. The can survive only inside another organism and infect it, and they are just like a non living thing outside the host body. So they cannot be a decomposer.

Answer 2

Simply; they need a living cell, they use our DNA to make there own. They can survive in dead matter without a bother but they don't have any decomposition properties in this regard.

Answer 3

no they cause illness' but they do not decompose our bodies after they infect us or animals

Answer 4

well nice try to all of u guys but in real we can say that viru is a decomposer a we know that bacteriophage enters the host and destroy it then it takes nutrient from the host by thi pont itss clear dat it feeds on decomposer.. :-)

Answer 5

Hmm not a bad point, but that is in a living cell. decomposer as i know and have been taught is an organism that breaks down dead matter, the virus doesnt survive in this environment so doesnt have a role in its decompostion, it may kill it and take a portion of the nutrition it needs but it will become dormant and classed non-living once it encounters the environment

Answer 6

but the main role of decompoer is to take their nutrient from dead host so u cant ignore this point n i m still a school kid so dnt knw wat u said more clearly dat about the environment in which virus survive...can u give me the assurity dat we cant say it decompoer....

Answer 7

Basically the virus is only considered a living organism inside of a host, when its in the environment it doesnt have all of the characteristics of life, so we classify it as non-living. When in a host it is living and can be harmful.
You made the point 'main role of decompoer is to take their nutrient from dead host' Once the host is dead and the virus exposed to the environment it becomes dormant, it needs our hosts DNA to replicate, it cant multiply by its-self so as soon as the cell it is in dies off and it cant find another live cell to colonize it becomes dormant and waits fr a new host of, for example, an animal that eats the carcass of whatever dies. It doesnt get involved with the breakdown of the cells.
If it gives you peace of mind, and if i remember, ill ask my immunology lecturer who specializes in viruses about it

Answer 8

so y not we called it decomposer u cnt ignore this point.... ya plz if u can ask ur lecturer it would be a grt help to me .... coz my teacher said dat we can say it a decomposer jst plz clearify.... wting for ur ans sir.

Answer 9

ok can you give me your definition of a decomposer that you were taught plz

Answer 10

hmm.. decomposer in simple term the organisms which take their nutrients from dead organism.. hope so studied in 8 or 9 standard

Answer 11

hey biomedstd. r u medicl stdnt of which branch i m alo preaprin for medicl jst 2 more years are left to go for me

Answer 12

No im training to become a Biomedical Scientist, we take in the samples etc and determine whats wrong.
If the cell is dead the virus has nothing to do with it, it'll move on to the next living host it can find

Answer 13

??

Answer 14

so what we say till it didnt find it host it act as a decomposer only

Answer 15

dis quest. came in my exam, if its nt a decomposer give me solid proof so i can show to my examiner n inturn i ll get 5 mark which was deducted ...

Answer 16

scoured the web and couldnt find any evidence as virus being a decomposer.
Here's a link. It seems that that question is actually still in the air but common consensus is that it is not. My lecturer says it isnt by the way
http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios104/mike/bacteria01.htm