  Model reduction of biochemical networks relies on the knowledge of slow and
fast variables. We provide a geometric method, based on the Newton polytope, to
identify slow variables of a biochemical network with polynomial rate
functions. The gist of the method is the notion of tropical equilibration that
provides approximate descriptions of slow invariant manifolds. Compared to
extant numerical algorithms such as the intrinsic low dimensional manifold
method, our approach is symbolic and utilizes orders of magnitude instead of
precise values of the model parameters. Application of this method to a large
collection of biochemical network models supports the idea that the number of
dynamical variables in minimal models of cell physiology can be small, in spite
of the large number of molecular regulatory actors.
