Who is at the top of the food chain: humans or viruses?

Answer 1

There is no top to a food chain. This is just a
simplified way of thinking about a very complicated subject. Because of parasites,
predators and decomposers there is actually an
interlocking food web. Shakespeare noticed this
a long time ago. I can't name the play but there
is a quotation that goes something like, To show
how a king may go a-progress through the guts of
a beggar

The so-called top carnivore (or omnivore) at the
top of a food chain is fed on by such things as lice,
ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, parasitic worms which
may then themselves be fed on by other organisms and start back up the food chain again
from a "lower" level.

Answer 2

Viruses aren't technically alive, for a few reasons, one of them being they don't metabolize food, for that matter, I can't think of anything that consumes viruses as a food source.. Therefore, they have no place on any food chain,

I'd also agree with the other answerer's on two points, the food chain is circular, with bacteria being at the very top and very bottom of the chain.

Answer 3

Top level carnivores are actually at the top of the food chain. Viruses, bacteria, all act as decomposers at any level. So usually humans are at the apex of the food chains. But if you choose a different chains it would differ.
Insects -> Frog -> Snake -> Eagle.

Answer 4

Viruses are not part of the food chain. Viruses can attack any living animal, from human beings to bacterias. But they don't consume their victims via ingestion. Instead, viruses enter the host body at a cellular level, and then releases its RNA inside the cell, which forces the host cell to manufacture more viruses, until the cell wall ruptures and explodes releasing more viruses into the host.

Answer 5

The food chain is something thought up by meat sellers to attract more customers (not that they are wrong or right). In reality, there is only a food cycle, which can be said to start at bacterias and move "upwards" until humans. But once we die, we are decomposed by bacteria, and the cycle continues.

An eg is Bacteria -> Fungus -> Cow -> Humans -> Bacteria

Viruses on the other hand, are not considered to be living.

Answer 6

Humans, of the two. Viruses can't "eat" people... and they're not living organisms, so they can't be at the top of the food chain.

Answer 7

The food chain is circular, there is no "true" top. And do you mean "bacteria", not viruses? Seeing as how bacteria are the things that decompose flesh and all?

Answer 8

some day the viruses will win. it will take time but it'll happen. scientists are on the battle front. you should watch NOVA.

Answer 9

Humans, while virus do eat humans, unless the human is dead it only eats a part of it.

Answer 10

humans. viruses dont eat people, they eat small parts of people.