It is expected that leaves from shade environments can use fluctuating light more efficiently than those from sunny environments, but evidence are inconsistent. To address how light environment and species properties affect sunfleck utilization efficiency, we examined the time courses of CO₂ gas exchanges and chlorophyll fluorescence during a simulated lightfleck in three shade-tolerant species and three intolerant species growing under contrasting light environments within a lowland tropical forest canopy, Pasoh, Malaysia. The results showed that the time required for assimilation rate (A) to reach 50% of full induction (IT_A50%) and the increasing rate of A (AIR) were similar between the shade-tolerant and -intolerant species. Seedlings from shadier environments possess smaller IT_A50% than those from sunnier environments, regardless of shade tolerance. Variations in IT_A50% were positively correlated with variations in the apparent time constant of Rubisco activation (τ). Shade tolerance and growth light environment imposed significant (P < 0.01) interactive effects on IT_A50% and τ. These findings suggest light environment plays a more important role in affecting photosynthetic induction response than shade tolerance.